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Track List

1 Con Alma 09:22
    by Dizzy Gillespie (Dizlo Music Corporation)
2 Conception 07:00
    by George Shearing (Screen Gems-EMI Music, Inc.)
3 In Your Own Sweet Way 10:32
    by Dave Brubeck (Derry Music Company)
4 Prelude To A Kiss 05:56
    by Duke Ellington (Sony ATV Harmony)
5 Turn Out The Stars 07:32
    by Bill Evans (Ludlow Music Inc.)
6 I'm Glad There Is You 09:11
    by Jimmy Dorsey, Paul Madeira (Morley Music Co.)

Total Time: 49:33

About Trio Hour

This trio played spontaneous sessions in 2005-2009 on a weekly basis in Pohjola's studio on East 14th Street in Manhattan. The group specialized in exploring improvisational concepts based on the framework and form of jazz standards. And this outing, recorded in early 2007, is precisely that: Jazz standards and explorations beyond.

The first four tracks, consisted of Con Alma by Dizzy Gillespie, Conception by George Shearing, In Your Own Sweet Way by Dave Brubeck and Prelude To A Kiss by Duke Ellington, are all one-take recordings, with no edits or even breaks in-between. The last two, Turn Out The Stars by Bill Evans, and I'm Glad There Is You by Jimmy Dorsey, are also played consecutively, about two months later. The setlist was decided on the recording days, and no pre-planning, rehearsal or arrangement of the songs were made.

This recording breathes spontaneity from start to finish. A mood, as most often set in an introduction by Pohjola, is confirmed with sonorities by Struve and a constructive scheme by Loomis. Then the adventure wanders from place to place never ending where it started. This is especially true for the daring Turn Out The Stars, originally a ballad, where in this version the melody is only hinted towards the end.

The musical sound of Trio Hour is a result of frequent playing by this formation, during which the confidence in the unknown have found its space and shape, to be printed in fresh renditions on tape on these two recording days.

"This album presents him with a chance to stand up and be counted as one of the most gifted jazz pianists of his generation. Playing in the Bill Evans tradition, Pohjola constructs gently swinging, melodic improvisations that are sheer delight; thought- provoking and adventurous. What's on offer is 50 minutes of great music, recorded in two sessions, with no second takes and no over- dubbing. Just creativity of the highest order. Surely, this - if anything - is what jazz is all about. It's to be hoped the trio will get back together again soon."
-Chris Mosey, All About Jazz

Credits

Mika Pohjola - piano
Dan Loomis - bass
Kyle Struve - drums

Articles about Trio Hour

PRESS RELEASE: Pianist & Composer Mika Pohjola Visits Berklee College of Music

Finnish-American pianist and composer Mika Pohjola will give a two-day seminar at Berklee College of Music in Boston on Thursday, February 27 and Friday, February 28. As a part of the seminar he will perform his compositions with bassist Fernando Huergo and drummer Bertram Lehmann at Recital Hall... Read

REVIEW: New York Jazz: Mika Pohjola, Dan Loomis, Kyle Struve: Trio Hour

Mika Pohjola is a man of many talents. He runs the New York-based Blue Music Group - "the small label with big music." He has collaborated on albums of religious and traditional Finnish, Swedish music, given classical recitals, accompanied vocalists Read

PRESS RELEASE: New York Jazz Trio Rides High On New Album Release Of Select Standards

Pianist Mika Pohjola, bassist Dan Loomis and drummer Kyle Struve played 2005-09 on a weekly basis in Pohjola's studio on East 14th Street in Manhattan. The trio specialized in exploring improvisational concepts based on the framework and form of jazz standards. And this fine outing, Read