HYSTERICA

Finnish guitarist Jukka Tolonen's fourth solo album is a great jazz rock album in the same vein as the three previous. This is fairly simple, well arranged music where the melody lines are more in focus than the solos, although we get to hear quite a lot of Tolonen's distinct and somewhat bluesy guitar, as well as a sax sometimes. Musically it reminds me of Chick Corea's Return to Forever albums but the music is not that sparkling, rather cooking. The musicians are not trying to make the music scream or cry, but rather swing and flow. There's an overall relaxed and unpretentious feeling over it although they play rather fast from time to time, and yet with a typical Scandinavian melancholy trademark.

Four bright shinig stars!