New York Jazz Capitalizes Compositions by Remarkable Trio

Studio and live recordings are often compared and noted as being contrasting in energy and attention to detail. The common analysis of live performances being superior in authenticity and studio recordings being an introverted "studio capture" is, however, a dangerous generalization if not becoming a rude stereotype. A studio recording is not always inferior in extroverted energy, and the greatest live recordings include quite a bit of attention into musical details. New York City has long offered some good spaces for live recording, Village Vanguard and the Blue Note counting among the top.

Mika Pohjola, a seasoned recording artist in jazz and some adjacent directions, has covered a wide range of solo piano to orchestral formations in his discography. On his Jazz Capital of the World album, with Matt Penman on bass and Roberto Dani on drums, Pohjola does a daring 100-minute set. At a first glance it looks like a "release-it-all" effort with little discrimination, but knowing Pohjola's care for his productions, I took a closer listen. This music flows, and there is lots of curve for solos, running from pianist-oriented leadership to true trifold contributions.

All compositions are interesting melodic and harmonic inventions. There's something in jazz today – a particular notion that an "even 8th" tune would be of softer character, and this is a burdensome trend. While demonstrating nice height with the vamping coda of "And She Appeared", "Goddess Arsinoe" is, however, somewhat of a mezzoforte rendition here, asking for a more dynamic approach, which certainly is true in the subsequent "The Ice That Breaks." The opening "A Farmer's Dream" is of hardbop character, unusual for a Pohjola original, whose compositional pen is often labeled according to this tune and a few others. Especially All Music Guide's biographer Alex Henderson has got Pohjola all wrong, and needs to take a listen to Pohjola's Ball Play or Moomin Voices.

Jazz Capital is a fresh one-nighter by an eclectic trio. New Zealander Penman is also known from the San Francisco Jazz Collective and the Italian Dani spins a vital career with ECM Records artists. Pohjola's fearless visions for combining musicians from continents and genres, makes the listening experience of this album a real treat.