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  • Streaming + Download

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • You'll get the famous "Moomin Voices" CD and a Download of THIS album.

    Listen: moominswe.bluemusicgroup.com

    Includes unlimited streaming of Bridge via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • You'll get the Japanese Market Special Edition CD "Trio Hour" and a Download of THIS album.

    Listen: triohour.bluemusicgroup.com

    Includes unlimited streaming of Bridge via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • You'll get the Northern Sunrise CD and a Download of THIS album. Northern Sunrise features saxophonist Steve Wilson, guitarist Ben Monder, bassist Massimo Biolcati, drummer Mark Ferber, and compositions by pianist Mika Pohjola.

    Listen: northern.bluemusicgroup.com

    Includes unlimited streaming of Bridge via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • You'll get "Two for the Road" by the great late Jill Seifers Walsh and a Download of THIS album.

    Listen: broadway.bluemusicgroup.com

    Includes unlimited streaming of Bridge via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • You'll get the CD "Leivonen lumimyrskyssä/A Lark in the Snowstorm - Celebrating the Music of Finnish Tango Composer Toivo Kärki", and a Download of THIS album.

    Listen: leivonen.bluemusicgroup.com

    Includes unlimited streaming of Bridge via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • You'll get Ensemble Ma's CD "Lunaria" + a download of THIS album.

    Listen: lunaria.bluemusicgroup.com

    Includes unlimited streaming of Bridge via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • You'll get these CDs
    • SONGS OF FINLAND
    Listen: finland.bluemusicgroup.com
    • LEIVONEN LUMIMYRSKYSSÄ (A Lark in the Snowstorm) (Tango Music by Toivo Kärki)
    Listen: leivonen.bluemusicgroup.com
    • SCANDINAVIAN YULETIDE VOICES (feat. Sanni Orasmaa, Eeppi Ursin, Laura Arpiainen, Theo Bleckmann, Rigmor Gustafsson, Lisa Werlinder and others.)
    Listen: christmascarols.bluemusicgroup.com

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    Includes unlimited streaming of Bridge via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • High quality Blue Music Group CDs at a clearance price! FREE SHIPPING worldwide. These albums are discounted because of excessive stock, not due to quality reasons. All albums contain pristine music and a production of the highest quality.

    • KAMMARENSEMBLEN: VI (2020) (Double-CD)
    Listen: vi.bluemusicgroup.com
    • PUTTES ÄVENTYR I BLÅBÄRSSKOGEN (2016)
    Listen: putte.bluemusicgroup.com
    • DAS ORCHESTER: CONSORTS (2015)
    Listen: consorts.bluemusicgroup.com
    • JILL SEIFERS WALSH: TWO FOR THE ROAD (2008)
    Listen: broadway.bluemusicgroup.com
    • SONGS OF FINLAND (2007)
    Listen: finland.bluemusicgroup.com
    • LEIVONEN LUMIMYRSKYSSÄ (Tango Music of Toivo Kärki) (2006)
    Listen: leivonen.bluemusicgroup.com
    • MIKA POHJOLA: ANNOUNCEMENT (1998)
    Listen: announcement.bluemusicgroup.com

    Includes unlimited streaming of Bridge via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.     ... more
    ships out within 3 days

      €35 EUR or more 

     

  • A Special Bundle with 5 CDs by pianist & composer Mika Pohjola:
    • TRIO HOUR (w. Kyle Struve & Dan Loomis)
    Listen: triohour.bluemusicgroup.com
    • NORTHERN SUNRISE (w. Steve Wilson, Ben Monder, Massimo Biolcati & Mark Ferber)
    Listen: northern.bluemusicgroup.com
    • LANDMARK (w. Miguel Zenón, Ben Monder, Fernando Huergo, Roberto Dani & Johanna Grüssner)
    Listen: landmark.bluemusicgroup.com
    • ANNOUNCEMENT (w. Chris Cheek, Matt Penman, Roberto Dani)
    Listen: announcement.bluemusicgroup.com
    • TWO FOR THE ROAD (w. Jill Seifers Walsh)
    Listen: broadway.bluemusicgroup.com

    FREE SHIPPING worldwide.

    Includes unlimited streaming of Bridge via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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  • FREE SHIPPING Worldwide.

    • Ivo Nilsson: Tanken skall blåsas ur en gång per skift (2022)
    • Ensemble Ma: Lunaria (2021)
    • Lipparella: Hidden Voices (2021)
    • Sören Hermansson: Horn & Sound (2020)
    • KammarensembleN: VI (2020)
    • Das Orchester: Le Nouvel Amour (2018)
    • KammarensembleN: 4 (2017)
    • Johanna Grüssner & Mika Pohjola: Puttes äventyr i Blåbärsskogen (2016)
    • Das Orchester: Consorts (2015)
    • Mika Pohjola: Trio Hour (2013)
    • Johanna Grüssner: Nu ska vi sjunga (2013)
    • Steve Wilson, Ben Monder etc: Northern Sunrise (2009)
    • Jill Seifers Walsh: Two for the Road (2008)
    • Many Artists: Songs of Finland (2007)
    • Johanna Grüssner: Nu blir sommar (2007)
    • Eeppi Ursin, Mika Pohjola etc: Leivonen Lumimyrskyssä (2006)
    • Rigmor Gustafsson, Eeppi Ursin, Theo Bleckmann etc: Scandinavian Yuletide Voices (2005)
    • Tove Jansson, Johanna Grüssner etc: Moomin Voices (2003)
    • Miguel Zenón, Ben Monder etc: Landmark (2002)
    • Mika Pohjola, Chris Cheek etc: Announcement (1998)
    • Mika Pohjola, Matt Penman etc: Live at the Blue Note (1996)

    Includes unlimited streaming of Bridge via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.     ... more
    ships out within 3 days

      €153 EUR or more 

     

  • Full Digital Discography

    125
    releases

    Get all 125 Blue Music Group releases available on Bandcamp and save 50%.

    Includes unlimited streaming via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality downloads of I närbilder - Visor av Fritz Sjöström, The Sound of New England, Vol 2, The Sound of New England, Vol 1, Tanken skall blåsas ur en gång per skift - Daily Work, Relax to Modern Sounds, Hidden Voices, Lunaria, Works for Piano & Wind Instruments, and 117 more. , and , .

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      €560 EUR or more (50% OFF)

     

1.
Destination 11:04
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2.
Chickering 07:08
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3.
Last Train 06:19
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4.
Tadpole In A Jar 08:37
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5.
The Garden Of Forking Paths 07:36
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6.
Mel's Island 07:35
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7.
Happy In The Dark 05:38
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8.
King Nicotine 11:25
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9.
Irish Song 08:36
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about

There are so many different influences present in the music on the newest CD Bridge by Akiko Pavolka's House of Illusion that it almost defies categorization. This could therefore place this music in the avant-garde category, and certainly there are influences from that particular camp of music present here. Certainly, this music has a high degree of jazzness by virtue of the improvisation and jazz sensibilities present. There are elements of jazz fusion with sounds reminiscent of Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, Pat Metheny, and early 1970's Miles Davis. Merely calling this music fusion however overlooks the unique approaches to making music on this CD, and the broad range of influences Akiko Pavolka and her band mates bring to the listener.

Of the nine selections on the CD, Akiko composed six. The remaining three are by Matt Pavolka. The writing is a challenging, thought provoking aural treat to the listener. This is not music for only casual listening, as it is music that demands your full awareness, and because of the length of many of the tunes, endurance of one's attention span. The songs sound as though they are generally through-composed or modified strophic forms composed to enhance the poetry of the lyrics. In general, all nine selections develop similar complex soundscapes as the result of several layers of musical activity spread over driving bass grooves, and employment of a variety of different instrumental colors, sound distortion and vocal techniques.

As a vocalist, to this listener, Akiko, echoes sounds similar to that of Joni Mitchell and Flora Purim. She uses her voice instrumentally in the ensemble adding her unique vocal timbre to the sound mass either in unison or harmony with other instruments. She is also found sometimes scatting solo, other times juxtaposed in counterpoint with another improvising instrument. Bassist Matt Pavolka, tenor saxophonist/bass clarinetist, Peter Hess, and multi instrumentalist Pete Rende also contribute significant improvised solos. Also, not to be overlooked is the tasteful work of drummer/percussionist Blake Lindberg.

Although uniquely conceptualized, the music on this CD still hovers close enough to the mainstream, that listeners not accustomed to exclusively cutting edge music may find Bridge still very accessible. For the jazz listener who enjoys vocal oriented jazz, but seeks an alternative to the contemporary standards redux type singers, Bridge by Akiko Pavolka's House of Illusion is a highly recommend addition to a jazz CD collection.

credits

released June 1, 2002

Akiko Pavolka - voice
Peter Hess - saxophone
Pete Rende - piano
Matt Pavolka - bass
Blake Lindberg - drums

license

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about

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Blue Music Group Stockholm, Sweden

The Small Label with Big Music.

Blue Music Group is the vision of composition, performance and production of Mika Pohjola. Having recorded his debut album for composer legend Gunther Schuller’s GM Recordings, Pohjola became a Steinway piano artist in 1997, and records a variety of music which is characterized by a particularly high quality.

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