Matti P Saxophone & flute player Juhani "Junnu" Aaltonen (b. 1935) is a legendary figure in Finnish jazz. In the late 60's - early 70's he was an original member in Tasavallan Presidentti, Finland's biggest classic prog/jazz-rock act besides Wigwam. Being less of a composer than a sought-out session musician and beloved collaborator, in his long career including also a multitude of albums released under his own name, he has worked closely with composers such as Heikki Sarmanto, Edward Vesala, Henrik Otto Donner and Arild Andersen.

The composer of this particular album is a less known name to a listener, Rasmus Soini. The CD's liner notes tell about the birth of "Saarnaaja" (= The Preacher). In January 2014 Aaltonen visited the music college of Espoo to talk of his ideas and visions of music. Soini, working there as a teacher,was deeply impressed by Junnu's wise words, and a year later he started to compose a conceptual instrumental work for the Sointi Jazz Orchestra he had founded and for Junnu as the soloist.

Like several of Heikki Sarmanto's major works often featuring Aaltonen, this is an orchestral piece of pure Third Stream, ie. music between -- or representing both -- art music and jazz. The large orchestra consists of woodwind and brass, plus piano, double bass and drums. Junnu's role as a soloist on tenor sax and alto flute is naturally very central since he was the muse and inspiration of the whole project. The work is in five parts, some with a poetic title taken from Junnu's lecture, e.g. 'Turning weaknesses into strengths' (Pt. 2), 'I'm gliding above chords' (pt. 4) and 'Music like a prayer' (Pt. 5), freely translated by me.

The overture begins with dramatic low notes from the brass section, quieting down for Junnu's tenor solo and soon returning to do angular, fast-paced dialogue with the sax. The piano and rhythm section join for the last minutes of this very free jazz spirited movement that ends with a chaotic crescendo. Part 2 is a more accessible and melodic movement, balancing between the big orchestral sound and airier group-oriented moments with tenor sax as a soloist.

'Play like the surface of the pond remains unbroken' (Pt. 3) is a gentle movement focusing at first on flute and piano only, later with an increasing backing of brass and woodwinds. I personally would have preferred to keep the movement lighter and more chamber-like all the way.

Pt. 4 continues the wide dynamics of the alteration between solo spots and the brass-heavy sound of the orchestra. On the final movement Junnu plays both flute and tenor sax, and the music sometimes has a sermon-like atmosphere.

I am not a fan of brassy big band sound, so this album doesn't quite meet my taste, but taken more objectively it is a respectable, highly dynamic work filled with Junnu's sensitive playing and orchestral grandiosity.

Matt Juhani Aaltonen and Iro Haarla have been playing together for quite a while now having first meet in the early 1970’s whilst Iro was still a teenager and still studying music and then again a few years later when both were performing with Edward Vesala in the late 70’s and early 80’s where after they went their own ways until reuniting in 2002 whilst recording for the Finnish Jazz label Tum with both appearing on various albums led by Juhani or Iro with the label since. Juhani Aaltonen plays tenor saxophone, flute, alto flute and bass flute within this recording “Kirkastus” whilst Iro Haarla is on piano, harp , guzheng or chen ( Chinese stringed instrument) and percussion for this duo recording released in 2015. Both have extensive histories in music with Juhani first releasing his debut as a leader in 1974 for the album “Etiquette” as well as performing with the Rock band Tasavallan Presidenti whilst Iro Haarla has kept working right up till the late 1990’s with her husband Edward Vesala until his death and did not release an album until 2001 under her own name in conjunction with the saxophonist Pepa Paivanen who also had been playing with Edward Vesala. All the recordings included within the album are written by Iro and as such are predominately intricate ballads with perhaps her most well known album being “Vespers” released in 2011 with the ECM label and a prime showcase for her style of Jazz composing.

“Evening Prayer” open subtlety with Juhani on Tenor saxophone and Iro playing piano for this lovely gentle ballad where one hear can the understanding both musicians have between each other with some beautiful solo input with the piano from Iro on this near six minute piece which is followed by “Out Of The depths” with Juhani on flute and Iro on piano and adding in addition a chimed percussion and although it another ballad which the whole album being it is the variety of instruments used throughout the compositions that keep things from not sounding all the same with the playing still remaining in a beautiful gentle mode.”Still Waters”, “Nightjar” and “ Long Sole Sound” has Iro playing Harp whereas Juhani plays flute on three of the ten ballads and Iro plays the chen on only one for ‘Nightjar” being one of my picks with the addition of “Long Sole Sound” where bass flute and harp are combined keeping the album interesting throughout all the tracks.

Lovely relaxed music with some great playing from Juhani in these beautiful low key compositions and although Juhani Aaltonen is first in the credits it is Iro Haarla’s just as much. She has her own style of composing and it is quite individual leaving her own mark on modern Jazz which is beautifully displayed on this album. Great for those quiet times.