PROGNOSIS

Jukka Gustavson got artistic pension from Finland state in 2014, but he really isn't retaired! He has been very active with the Wigwam Experince, naturally he also was in those Wigwam's 50ties celebration concerts. He has also had some gigs with other groups. But the greatest thing is he still composes new songs! In 2017 came very much into roots music style 'Mojomen'-album with Saxman Syrj'nen, but this year he released totally his own album. Musicians in this new album has again changed, only really talented bassplayer Janne Rajala is same as in his previous album. The guitarist Jari 'Hein' Nieminen has done his musical career mostly with crooners. The drummer Thomas T'rnroos has been Jukka's bandmate in British Standard. Anyway all these musicians are very skillfull as always in Jukka's albums.

'We Must Change' starts album quite straightforward. But after some verses the song changes more complex direction with great organ playing. The song has lots of Traffic feeling. In the next 'All Flowers Of the Spring' direction changes totally. It's really a masterpiece to all symphonic prog lovers! Starting very much renaissance classical music style this instrumental piece changes in the middle much more abstract Jukka style. Jukka plays in this his kurzwell keyboard with string sounds. 'Some Astronomers Have Seen Far' is also instrumental and first reminds a little bit Pekka Airaksises serene works. But it changes more melodic and starts to remind Jukka's 'Kadonnut H'vi'm'tt'miin' -album. 'The Great Crowd' is again more straightforward, but has complex melodies. I am not sure what crowd Jukka is singing, but I hope he's not meaning just he's own religious crowd. 'J&L' is a beautiful lovesong to Jukka's wife Leena reminding Stevie Wonder a lot.

'Turquoise Yarn Inspiration' is another masterpiece in this album! It's little bit darker than the other songs in album, but not gloomy. It has really great melodic complexity and Jari's acoustic guitar fits in it very great way. Also Janne's great melodic basssolo reminds Pekka Pohjola's great ones. When Jukka starts to sing, song changes, but this part fits just great into it. Although the song is totally different, its structure and greatness reminds me 'Losing Hold'. I wonder, could Jukka have made this longer, epic piece? 'Be Wise Realize' is another great piece with complex melodies and another great basssolo. This reminds me a little bit Wigwam's Prophet in Being album in it's structure. 'You Can't Be a Racist' is a funky song and also one of the many songs against Trump. I believe many thinks Jukka's lyrics naive, but I have always respect his honesty. He also lives like he preaches. I have heard some to say it's not very intellectual to be against Trump, but as Jukka I think bad leaders are bad leaders, no matter are they in USA or Africa. The ending 'Ode To the Poor And the Unemployed' starts sad but change very inspired with it's rising chords.

I have listened this only twice, but it has already become the greatest album of this year to me! This really rises to the group of Jukka's four stars solo albums. It's not masterpiece as his first two solos, but there are songs that are as great. It's little bit sad Jukka seems to be a little bit in the shadow of his bandmate Pekka Pohjola also in Finland and this new album hasn't got lots of attention even here. To me Jukka, Pekka Pohjola and Jean Sibelius are the greatest Finnish composers. I believe Jukka's attitude towards his great Wigwam's compositions doesn't help him to get more respect. In those Wigwam's celebration gigs only 'Losing Hold' was played from Jukka's Wigwam compositions. In Finnish magazine Jukka praised Jim Pembroke's and Pekka Rechardt compositions. It's true those two made also great music in Wigwam's seventies period, but after that it has been Jukka and Pekka Pohjola who have made the greatest music. Genius men should not be too humble! Jukka really is one of the last great ones that started in the fifties or sixties. Anyway this album is highly recommeded to those who love Wigwam's 1969-74 period!

Good news for all friends of prog/fusion music of Jukka Gustavson, the organist/keyboard player, vocalist and composer who, prior to his long and many-sided solo career, was for the most part responsible of WIGWAM's classic albums Fairyport (1971) and Being (1974). The sound of this new release may bring even those albums in mind here and there. By the way, in recent years he has been active playing live the music of Wigwam in various line-ups -- although the material on those gigs have emphasized on the Pembroke-Rechardt "deep pop" era of Wigwam (his modesty has gone perhaps too far, thinks the more prog-oriented part of the audience). To some degree, Prognosis is a return to Gustavson's progressive style after a couple of more roots/blues-oriented collaborative albums. This is not to say that his familiar bluesy touch wouldn't be present here too.

All music is written by Gustavson, all lyrics are in English (several of his albums have both English and Finnish lyrics), and the music is performed by a tight quartet: "Gutsi" plays Hammond A 100 organ, Kurzweil Forte keyboard and Wurlitzer electric piano, Jari Nieminen plays guitars, Janne Rajala is on bass and Thomas Törnroos on drums. The musicianship between these men is very organic, and the arrangements are elegant and pretty varied. There are nine tracks on this nearly 60-minute album.

The opening song 'We Must Change' hits the listener right away with the urgent message about the climate change, backed by groovy music with a blues flavour. 'All Flowers of the Spring' focuses on Gustavson's synths; I find this piece a bit uninteresting as it doesn't have that much variety within 6 minutes. The other instrumental follows the first one directly, but the lengthy 'Some Astronomers Have Seen Far' is among my favourites. It is spacey and rather meditative, full of sonic depth. The fascinating electric guitar reminds me of TERJE RYPDAL, e.g. his Odyssey album.

Steady-beat and slightly jam-natured 'The Great Crowd' grooves instrumentally for nearly half of its 8+ min. before the vocals enter. This pleasant, relaxed piece would function well as driving music. On 'J & L' Jukka sings of love between him and his wife Leena. Rhythmically the music is slightly monotonous, but little solos for organ and other instruments make it a nice piece. Also 'Turquoise Yarn Inspiration' proceeds as an instrumental before the home-praising lyrics enter at the end. I like this one a lot, there's the open-minded sonic excitement comparable to e.g. Kadonnut häviämättömiin (1995) which I'd probably name as my dearest JG album.

The three last songs all have a mood of their own. 'Be Wise Realize' is an enjoyable, laid-back, jazzy song with a slight STEELY DAN reminiscence. 'You Can't Be a Racist' is the funkiest one, with angry lyrics clearly attacking against Donald Trump (for a good reason, of course!). But even at his most political, Gutsi doesn't forget to make good, groovy music. On the last track he deals with the poor people and the will to make the world a better place for everyone. This mostly mellow piece is a highlight for me, and the fast organ melodies are nearing the classic Wigwam era I mentioned above.

There are some slightly less inspiring tracks to prevent me from giving the full rating (and some may find the lyrics a bit too preachy), but Prognosis is definitely among the finest albums of Jukka Gustavson (b. 1951). The overall feeling is warm and positive. No slightest signs of this living legend losing his unique touch and musical inspiration.