POP-LIISA 6 (FINNFOREST / ELONKORJUU)

Like the Jukka Hauru / Nono Söderberg gig from December 1976 (which is included on the same cd), also this radio broadcast from 23rd February, 1977 featured two acts, this time much more different from each other.

FINNFOREST are highly appreciated by many friends of instrumental prog fusion, especially for their eponymous debut album (1975) and Lähtö matkalle (1976). The two pieces heard here didn't appear on Finnforest's studio albums, but 'Odd Tale' was later included in the one-time spin-off project Jargon (1980), a rather mediocre fusion album. Composed by keyboardist Pertti Pokki, this 10-minute piece starts very slowly but pretty soon we're in the middle of endless soloing, in turns for Pekka Tegelman's electric guitar and Pokki's synths. The musicians are excellent, despite being still young of age, but there's a feeling of going nowhere in the music. My mind would probably wander around everyday things if I were among the audience in the Liisankatu studios.

'Juan' composed by drummer Jussi Tegelman has a tighter, slightly funky tempo but suffers from the similar lack of depth, containing self-indulgent soloing for its own sake. But the fast synth soloing admittedly has some highlights. Worth mentioning is also the impressive bass playing of Jarmo Hiekkala.

The 40-minute gig's second act ELONKORJUU is caught here between the entirely different musical worlds of their debut, heavy prog classic Harvest Time (1972) and the funky instrumental fusion of Flying High, Running Fast (1978) released as HARVEST. This non-album three- song set doesn't much resemble either of them, and also the songs have a varied approach. 'Hey Brother' is a fast-tempo funk song sung by bassist Veli-Pekka Pessi. Electric piano and tenor sax are fairly equal to the electric guitar of the band's leader and composer Jukka Syrenius.

'Yours Tonight' (sung by the main vocalist Kari Tamminen like the third song too) has a light-hearted soul and blues spirit. Quite nice. 'Rolling Down the Highway' is compared in the album's liner notes to the band's prog past -- partly due to the long guitar solo -- but the song is fairly joyful in mood. I'd rather compare it to American bands such as Lynyrd Skynyrd instead of prog.

Both acts display great musicianship but the composition material is in the end a bit mediocre. Hence only three stars.