MAKE LIEVONEN — Make Lievonen (review)

MAKE LIEVONEN — Make Lievonen album cover Album · 1977 · Fusion Buy this album from MMA partners
4/5 ·
Matti P
The eponymous album by Finnish bassist Make Lievonen is among the finest fusion works in Finland of that time. His road to composing and recording an album under his own name had been a long and winding one. In several short-lived line-ups Lievonen played with just about every household name of the Finnish prog and fusion scene, naturally including the ones appearing on this album and many others such as Jukka Tolonen, Jukka Gustavson and Seppo "Baron" Paakkunainen.

The idea for a solo album had been around since the early 70's, but in the spring of 1977 he finally made Atte Blom of Love Records to admit the time was right. The electric fusion was at the height of its popularity in Finland. Some of the album's material had existed for some years and had been performed in gigs. The recordings were done in four days, and most of the tracks took just one take.

The album starts joyously with the relatively simple and synth oriented 'Rain Dance' which is in a slight contrast to the rest of the material. Also other, more complex compositions such as 'Sea Horse' offer a genuinely happy feeling. The saddest of emotions are to be felt on 'March for the Lonely Riders', highlighting the soprano sax of Pöyry. In 'Monster Rally' Hasse Walli and Juha Björninen take turns playing short guitar solos. 'Tickets Please' is a tiny, groovy tune of electric funk.

'ETYK' refers to the 1975 Summit conference in Helsinki, where 35 national leaders signed a sheaf of papers. The hectic "going nowhere" atmosphere on the 8-minute composition quite perfectly sums up the whole thing. Although the world peace was a big issue at the time, the track title 'Peace Street Two' is simply a translation of the address Lievonen and Pöyry shared as room mates.

The closing track 'Farewell' features flute playing by both Pöyry and Pentti Lahti, who mostly plays bass clarinet on the album. "I have always liked the sound of that instrument", Lievonen said in a magazine interview. "Many people have told me there's not enough bass on the album. Well, I didn't want to make an album in which I'd play solos on bass and others would merely play themes. My main interest was to make beautiful pieces." And that's what he certainly did.

(Edited from my re-relase liner notes for Svart Records, 2015.)
Share this review
more

Review Comments

Post a public comment below | Send private message to the reviewer
Please login to post a shout
No shouts posted yet. Be the first member to do so above!

Review Index

Member Zone

Username:
Password:
Stay signed in

Jazz Subgenres

Artists Alpha-index

JMA TOP 5 Jazz ALBUMS

Rating by members, ranked by custom algorithm
Albums with 30 ratings and more
A Love Supreme Post Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
Kind of Blue Cool Jazz
MILES DAVIS
Buy this album from our partners
The Black Saint and the Sinner Lady Progressive Big Band
CHARLES MINGUS
Buy this album from our partners
Blue Train Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners
My Favorite Things Hard Bop
JOHN COLTRANE
Buy this album from our partners

New Jazz Artists

New Jazz Releases

Mikolaj Trzaska, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Paal Nilssen-Love : The Last Temple vol.3 Avant-Garde Jazz
MIKOŁAJ TRZASKA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mikolaj Trzaska, Ingebrigt Haker Flaten, Paal Nilssen-Love : The Last Temple, Vol.1 Avant-Garde Jazz
MIKOŁAJ TRZASKA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Mikołaj Trzaska / Ingebrigt Håker Flaten / Paal Nilssen-Love : The Last Temple Vol.2 Avant-Garde Jazz
MIKOŁAJ TRZASKA
Buy this album from MMA partners
Sustain Avant-Garde Jazz
AALY TRIO
Buy this album from MMA partners
Sunset Park Post Bop
TOBIAS MEINHART
Buy this album from MMA partners
More new releases

New Jazz Online Videos

FASCINATING RHYTHM - The Amazing Keystone Big Band feat. Neima Naouri
THE AMAZING KEYSTONE BIG BAND
snobb· 1 day ago
Alicante
RENAUD GARCIA-FONS
js· 1 day ago
She's Forty with Me
WILTON CRAWLEY
js· 1 day ago
Tall Tillie's Too Tight
WILTON CRAWLEY
js· 1 day ago
Rhoda Scott Ladies and Gentlemen - special guest : David Linx
RHODA SCOTT
snobb· 1 day ago
More videos

New JMA Jazz Forum Topics

More in the forums

New Site interactions

More...

Latest Jazz News

members-submitted

More in the forums

Social Media

Follow us
Follow us on Twitter Become a Facebook fan RSS Feed