These days jazz is alive and very well in South London, the U.K. but there is also a big jazz scene in Finland. Jazz artists such as Timo Lassy and Kvalda are making beautiful jazz music and mixing it with traditional Finnish folk music or traditional jazz. There is another great Finnish jazz duo who caught my attention several years ago with their song, Pumping Iron. I loved their mix of jazz with progressive rock elements that reminded me of Emerson, Lake & Palmer,
or the band Yes.
The Rauhala brothers, (Panu-Pekka and Tuomas)from Vimpeli, Finland have been mixing things up in the jazz world and they are professionally known as Grand Discovery. The brothers who are incredible musicians and composers mix jazz with elements of progressive rock and metal fusion to create some musical landscapes that can blow your mind. If you listen to the song, Medicine you can hear the drumming of Tuomas Rauhala and can see it on YouTube for those of you who are drumheads like me. Great tempo and his vibratory on that drum kit are amazing. They made their debut in 2007 with their album, Hermit, and quickly followed it up with their second release, Complex Face. Keyboardist, composer, and arranger, Panu-Pekka Rauhala says he was influenced by such rock artists as Yngwie Malmsteen, Pantera, Metallica, and as a child attended pop and jazz camps. Drummer Tuomas Rauhala started playing drums by age 9 studying classical percussion and even from that young age loved jazz fusion, rock, and metal. The brothers took a long hiatus after their second album but have come back with an incredible new album, Proceed which was just released on November 23rd. Check out this super-talented duo that can go from a soft sound and build to a crescendo of intensity. Support independent music and musicians worldwide. Happy listening!
Rediscovery
