KEESOJEN LEHTO [AKA: THE MATHEMATICIAN'S AIR DISPLAY; THE CONSEQUENCES OF INDECISIONS]

I'm one of those who bought a copy of the vinyl labeled as "Mike Oldfield, Sally Oldfield and Pekka Pohjola" in the 70s thinking it was Oldfield's stuff. It became on of my favourite albums and it still is, but I had to struggle before finding out its title.

The album cover wasn't saying anything, neither the album's title and the only written thing apart the names of the musicians was a "US 101" target so I thought it was the album's name.

The first impression was that Oldfield is in evidence only on the second track because the sound of his guitar over the clavinet is easily recognisable. The opener is still one of my favourite instrumental songs and is closer to Canterbury bands than to Oldfield. This is valid also for the rest of the album. Only on the last track the whistle and the ragtime-similar piano seems to be Oldfield's stuff.

What to say? Pekka Pohjola (RIP) was the bassist of the finnish band Wigwam and this is his third solo album. It's not strange that a so skilled bassist and composer has so big names playing in his album. Other than Oldfield there's the Gong Pierre Moerlen and Wadenius is a great guitarist. Wlodek Gulgowski is a pianist that I'd like to check but he seems to have released just an album in 1972 under his name. However what I can't understand is why the label tried to sell the album in Oldfield's name and forgot to advertise either the title on the cover.

In terms of music, this is a good fusion with a bit of Canterbury flavour and the effective contribution of all the musicians who took part on it. It's like they have interpreted the original composition by adding a touch of each one's personality, as it often happens in jazz.

More than for fans of Wigwam, this album is good for Canterbury and Oldfield fans but it's so good and "easy" enough that nobody will be disappointed by it.

This time I haven't spoken much of the music inside, but it's an album that doesn't need descriptions. Just try it.