THE GROUP

This is the only album by The Group, a Finnish jazz-rock/fusion quartet with established members. Bassist-composer Pekka Pohjola (formerly of WIGWAM) and drummer Vesa Aaltonen (TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTTI) had played in MADE IN SWEDEN just before this formation. Keyboardist-composer Olli Ahvenlahti had a history in jazz scene, and the guitarist Seppo Tyni was the youngest of them.

The music is closer to jazz than rock. But it's not so lively in a jazzy way; the longish compositions have a lot of repetitiveness and the melodies are not very good ones. I could almost say it's a bit boring album, as "professional" and well-done as it is. Pekka Pohjola definitely composes better music by himself than together with Ahvenlahti. After two listenings I don't remember much of anything of this music; it didn't touch my feelings really. Not that there were any bad, irritating things, maybe it just was too surpriseless and safe. For example guitar playing is more or less in the same style throughout the album, and on the keyboards there aren't much variety either. Anyway I wish someone here have enjoyed this more than I did and writes a more favourable and detailed review.

The Group was an obscure finish progressive/jazz rock band from late '70s, but with established musicians in this field. The band released only one album in 1978 self titled and then gone into oblivion under this name, because the musicians involved here minus Olli Ahvenlahti will go to Pekka Pohjola Group. As I said some very solid and skilful musicians here like ex Wigwam, Made In Sweden - Pekka Pohjola who was at the time an already proeminet bass player both under his name or with those bands, drumer Vesa Aaltonen ex-Tasavallan Presidentti another great band from Finland from early 70, guitarist Seppo Tyni from prog/psych Elonkorjuu and keybordist Olli Ahvenlahti from Uni Sono and solo aswell, so in the end a super group. The music featured here, I can't say is groundbreaking but is pleasent, well made. The jazz elements are well combned with the progressive ones, it sounds like a cross between Return To Forever and solo work of Pohjola, even his tradmark elements are not so present here, this is a group efford indeed as the name of the band suggested. The shorter pieces are the most intresting here with maybe Annapurna the longest one, because Ripple marks has some good but in same time some boring moments aswell, the piece to much time going nowhere in musical terms. All in all a decent album, nothing over the top, but fans of the genre might take some spins. 3 stars, maybe in places 3.5.

THE GROUP were a short lived Jazz Rock band out of Finland led by the legendary Pekka Pohjola the master of the bass. Both he and Vesa Aaltonen the drummer were on that final MADE IN SWEDEN album from 1976, the drummer was with TASAVALLAN PRESIDENTI prior to that. Pekka really never stopped releasing solo album through the 70's, 80's and 90's but of course is going to be known by many for his time with the great WIGWAM. We get a keyboardist and a guitarist as well.

This is obviously going to be a well played record but honestly the bass really does sound a class above the rest except for maybe Vesa on drums. Pekka just has the skills and experience but also the vision when it comes to his music. This would be a rare slip in my opinion, at least I would never consider going past 3 stars and man I've been listening to almost nothing but Jazz related music since last September. This doesn't rise anywhere close to the top but it was worth it to hear Pekka Pohjola take command of a song with his bass one more time.