Helsinki's Timmion label issues instro-soul album Organ-ized by Mr. Sophisticated Fingers

Mr. Sophisticated Fingers' Organ-ized – a Hammond-led reworking of Emilia Sisco's Introducing album – is out now! 

Here's the scoop...

Through the ages, several people from moustachioed party boat troubadours to jazz elite like Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff and Shirley Scott have wielded the power of the electric organ to hypnotize listeners. Now, taking all the possible cues from these musical heavyweights, and breaking through the musical sound barrier to organ-ize your mind comes Mr. Sophisticated Fingers. 

Together with the ever-faithful Cold Diamond & Mink this mystical key stroker rephrases ten of the greatest hits from Emilia Sisco’s debut album “Introducing” in a unique lyrical style. In Organ-ized’s Slow Dance & Soul album these songs continue for further greatness. 

You may have heard them before, now listen to them again, as now they’ve been organ-ized by the musical maestro Mr. Sophisticated Fingers, baby!

Get a copy of Organ-ized: Slow Dance & Soul on limited edition vinyl via Bandcamp right here. Check out three tracks below. 

Listen to Pratt & Moody's "Creeping Around" an overlooked gem from 2024

One of the soul highlights of 2024, Pratt & Moody's brilliant downtempo "Creeping Around" slipped by largely unnoticed. 

Saxophonist Timo Lassy presents new combo on Trio LP

The new Trio album from Finnish tenor titan Timo Lassy is out now on Helsinki's We Jazz Records.

Here's the scoop...

Tenor saxophonist Timo Lassy, one of Finland's leading jazz artists, is back with a new album release Trio on We Jazz Records. The album introduces Lassy's new combo with bassist Ville Herrala and drummer Jaska Lukkarinen.  

The new Lassy sound is tight, swinging and funky, led by the strong and riff-ready sax of the tenorman. That being said, the album's sound is not limited to that of the swinging trio. Lassy's new vision also brings in some subtle electronics (played by Lassy, Dalindèo frontman Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen and Ilmiliekki Quartet pianist Tuomo Prättälä) and lush strings performed by Budapest Art Orchestra as arranged by Finnish artist Marzi Nyman. It's a new sound for Lassy, but one which keeps true to his no-nonsense cookin' on the tenor. 

This combination proves to be a winning one on the album, ranging from the more solemn moments on tracks such as "Sunday 20" and "Sointu" to the all out groovers like "Pumping C" and "Subtropical". The basic three sylinders of the band tenor sax, bass and drums, are strong throughout and the strings add air beneath the wings to really lift things off. Electronics are used as a tasty condiment, not taking over the main course but adding to it just right. 

"We began the process with the bare bones trio but along the way, the sound started evolving into something else" Lassy explains. "That's how I like to work, anyway, while the trio can take this music to great lengths live, on the album I like to paint a fuller, more colourful picture sonically." 

Speaking of painting, the sleeve of the album features the original artwork "Subtropic" by Finnish artist Ilari Hautamäki. "Trio" by Timo Lassy will be released by We Jazz Records as blue and black vinyl editions complete with a heavy duty tip-on sleeve, on CD and digitally. 

Get a copy of Timo Lassy's new Trio album via Bandcamp right here. Watch the video for "Foreign Bodies" and check the audio clips for "Pumping C" and "Subtropical" below. 

Whaddya mean you don't know Oiro Pena

Check out the track "Nimetön" off the new Oiro Pena four song EP for the Finland's Ultraääni label available right here. 

Watch rare footage of The Creatures rockin' in Finland back in '66

Introducing the Jukka Eskola Soul Trio

The new album from Finnish jazz trumpeter Jukka Eskola – released by Timmion on May 5 – is already sold out on vinyl.

One of the most prominent and busy players on the Finnish jazz scene at the moment is trumpeter Jukka Eskola. After over a decade of adventures in different spaces of jazz – from the dance floor burn of The Five Corners Quintet to the raw expressive modes of Mikko Innanen's small big band, Jimi Tenor's cosmic jazz and his own prime CTI styled solo recordings – Eskola takes things back to basics with his latest project, the Jukka Eskola Soul Trio.

Composed of the 38 year-old Eskola on trumpet and fluegelhorn, Mikko Helevä on organ and the Stance Brother #1 Teppo "Teddy Rok" Mäkynen on drums. When Helevä needs to take a break from the bass pedals, the trio gets assistance from Ville Herrala on the upright. In addition, tenor saxophonist Timo Lassy features on “Hong Tong” and “Subterranean Variations” and Magnus Lindgren spices the groove with his flute on "Railyard Boogie".

The Soul Trio's self-titled debut album for Finland's Timmion Records will be a delight for lovers of mid-60's American soul jazz from labels like Blue Note and Prestige. At parts the approach is even less sophisticated as on "For Anne Lee", where the group proceeds to lay down some of the rowdiest bar room hard bop. Creating an extra air of hipness, the package is completed with European Clarke-Boland-ish touches that hint at reinvention more than simple emulations. This record carries all the right ingredients for a grade A contemporary jazz album: virtuoso players, who know the heritage as well as how to play around it, and who know how to work as an entity surrendering strictly to the groove.