Aho, Atte - Atte Aho CD
SKU
ECD-2022166
"If guitar led jazz rock or fusion quickens your pulse and fires your spirit, then you will find lots to enjoy in the debut self-titled album by Atte Aho.
It is a release that stokes the fire with a succession of slowly evolving and carefully constructed solos. These are contrasted with faster paced tunes that contain a plethora of quick fingered solos that threaten to ignite the fret board. However, the soloing is not excessive and indulgent for its own sake. When the guitar burns brightly and it frequently does, it is as part of a carefully thought-out structure within a composition.
Whilst several tunes are slow paced, allowing different moods and tempos to be explored, as in the beautiful piano led meanderings of Wave and Guidance, the emphasis created by the stylistic traits of the frequent guitar soloing is most definitely on the rockier side of fusion.
This release does not always fully utilise the shifts of rhythm, improvised sections and unusual shifts of pace that might be associated with fusion that draws more heavily upon jazz. When it does though, in tunes such as Ulan Bator, Guidance, Firecracker and Wave as the piano meanders to paint an alternative set of colours, the results are excellent.
The band comprises Atte Aho - guitar, compositions, Johannes Pakkala - drums, Kasperi Kallio - keyboards, Mikko Kuorikoski - bass.
The groups sound is augmented in various tracks by several guests. Aho has a fluid style. Bursts of fiery fret work detonate with propulsive energy and no small degree of skill. His playing is not just technically impressive, he also plays with lots of feeling and this facet is particularly demonstrated in slower tunes such as Bangkok Nights.
Although, Aho has a distinctive style, the playing of Allan Holdsworth was suggested on more than one occasion. Maybe it was something about the clear tones chosen and Aho's frequent use of legato. As a contrast, during some of the rockier moments there was something about Aho's chunky chosen tone that reminded me of Martin Barre. There were also occasions, such as during the finely picked tones of Guidance, when I recalled Jeff Beck's excellent sense of timing and feel that he displayed in his seminal Wired and Blow by Blow albums. However, despite some funky rhythmic moments in tunes like Elastic Energy, there is arguably nothing as soulful, evocative, or emotive contained on this album to compare with the material on those two classic guitar centred albums.
As the album progressed, I must admit I found my attention waning a tad. Although everything about the album sounded great; the playing is exquisite and the overall sound quality of the release is excellent, I began to yearn that it would step outside its stylistic box for a moment.
The band support Aho's skills in an excellent manner. There are several flowing keyboard embellishments and the synth solo in Elastic Energy exhibits the kind of fluidity and gurgling impact that was the hallmark of many jazz-rock bands of the seventies.
Nevertheless, much of Atte Aho is highly satisfying. I will certainly play it again. Overall it is a very impressive album, the guitar solos for example in Guidance and especially Firecracker are genuinely thrilling and superbly executed."-DPRP.net
- LabelEclipse
- UPC1966266627810