AAJ Review: Alexi Tuomarila Trio, Seven Hills

[jkelman]

My review of Alexi Tuomarila's latest trio record, Seven Hills, today for All About Jazz.

Tuomarila may be best known for his work in Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stanko's quintet that released Dark Eyes on ECM in 2010, but he's been steadily gaining ground for other projects, including bassist Mats Eilertsen's SkyDive (Hubro, 2012), on which the Finnish pianist also appeared. Eilertsen - also well-known for his participation on ECM recordings by The Source, Tord Gustavsen, Wolfert Brederode and others - returns the favor, and Tuomarila's trio is rounded out by his Dark Eyes mate, fellow Finn Olavi Louhivuori, on drums.

An album of original compositions that reflect Tuomarila's broad purview - one that clearly includes the American tradition through clear touchstones like McCoy Tyner but also Europeans like Bobo Stenson - Seven Hills is an album from a piano trio bucking lazy accolades like "The next e.s.t.!!!" Tuomarila's trio has nothing to do with the late Esbjorn Svensson and his trio, and that's a very, very good thing...as is this trio and this record, which find three 30-somethings engaging at a high level.

A terrific record, review here.

[Poisoned Youth]

Nice to hear Alexi has a new one. I was fan of his work since his first album "Voices of Pohjola" way back on Igloo records, a label I got really into for their Belgian jazz output (La Grande Formation, Trio Bravo, and that Aka Moon related stuff).