Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Verneri Pohjola: Bullhorn

8

Verneri Pohjola: Bullhorn

By

Sign in to view read count
Verneri Pohjola: Bullhorn


Trumpeter Verneri Pohjola's third album as leader manages to succeed on several different levels. The opener, "Another Day" captures the listener's attention with plangent piano chords and a soaring trumpet theme. "Girls Of Costa Rica" is a paean to Miles Davis' "Filles De Kilimanjaro," the first few bars echoing (but not entirely copying) the start of that most famous track, but then departing down a different road, underpinned by an obligato bass line and satisfyingly augmented by Jussi Kannaste's tenor saxophone.

The languid "He Sleeps, I Keep Watch" has a teasingly familiar opening passage, reminiscent of the slow movement from Antonín Dvořák's "Symphony No. 9," but gives way to an elegant, repeated motif and sensitive trumpet soloing accompanied by sparse percussion and bass.

The gloriously anthemic title track is embellished by a memorable repeated theme interspersed with Pohjola's captivating soloing, seguing straight into the slow waltz "In La Borie," in which the trumpet lays down a melancholic melody line over restrained piano, bass and delicately brushed snare drum.

A cymbal crash introduces the short ballad "This One Is For You" where Pohjola offers-up an echo-laden ghostly trumpet solo. By contrast the vibrant "Nanomachines" is redolent of the post-bop contrapuntal excitement of Ornette Coleman's early groups. A quietly contemplative "Ouroboros" quartet piece precedes the majestic "Cold Blooded" which benefits from a magnificent brass hook line.

The closer, the appropriately titled "The End Is Nigh," begins sedately with the quartet, building-up to a luxuriant big band feel in the ensemble passages. Pohjola's sometimes lyrical, sometimes strident approach to his instrument combined with his talent for varied, strong and inventive writing makes for a hauntingly irresistible album.

Track Listing

Another Day; Girls of Costa Rica; He Sleeps, I Keep Watch; Bullhorn; In La Borie; This One Is For You; Nanomachines; Ouroboros; Cold Blooded; The End Is Nigh

Personnel

Verneri Pohjola: trumpet; Aki Rissanen: piano; Antti Lötjönen: bass; Teppo Mäkynen: drums; Jussi Kannaste: tenor saxophone; Ilmari Pohjola: trombone; Iida Laine: Cello

Album information

Title: Bullhorn | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Edition Records

Comments

Tags

Concerts


For the Love of Jazz
Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who create it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

You Can Help
To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

More

Love Is Passing Thru
Roberto Magris
Candid
Sunny Five
Inside Colours Live
Julie Sassoon

Popular

Eagle's Point
Chris Potter
Light Streams
John Donegan - The Irish Sextet

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.