PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com #552 > Jarkka Rissanen Tonal Box feat. Kalle Fält - Bones

 

2022 – Humu Records

By Phillip Smith; April 23, 2022

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Having reviewed Finnish guitarist Jarkka Rissanen’s 2021 album Cargo last year, I was quite anxious to hear his latest release Bones with his band Tonal Box featuring Kalle Fält.  Like his previous album, this one is comprised entirely of instrumentals divinely steeped in jazz fusion leaning into funk and blues.  Tonal Box is comprised of Rissanen on guitars, lap steel, and Casio, Fält on tenor sax, Jorma Välimäki on tuba and double bass, and Jussi Kettunen on drums and percussion.

Bones rolls in on a funky beat surrounded by the sweet swampy sound of slide peppered with blasts of sax from Fält on “Chicken Hawk”.  Then “Heyday” hits, with its alluring dance-inducing rhythm and relaxed Hawaiian-flavored lap steel with a saxophone-lead.  I love the space created with their cover of Dr. John’s “Della (Part 1)”.  With tuba accompaniment, this song beautifully captures the essence of a lazy day.  I detect a strong jam-band essence in “Shake”.  With every listen, I’m reminded of Phish, a favorite of mine.  “Down the Road” walks the tightrope between blues and jazz, with Rissanen holding down the blues on guitar while Fält keeps a foot on the jazz side of the song on sax.

Jarkka Rissanen wins me over again with these eight instrumental tracks on “Bones”.  It’s an absolutely splendid album.              

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#504 : Jarkka Rissanen & Sons of the Desert - Cargo

2021 – Humu Records

 

By Phillip Smith; June 19, 2021

 

Jarkka Rissanen, a forty-plus year veteran of the music scene is a legend among Finnish roots music fans.  His latest record Cargo marks his seventh under his own name, and follows up quite nicely to his previous album Hybrid Soul, which was awarded Best Finnish Album of the Year by Blues Finland magazine.   This nine-track album is entirely comprised of instrumentals and features guitarist Rissanen along with guitarist Markus Väisänen, percussionist Esa Kärki and bassist Ilpo Komulainen.  Their music incorporates bits and pieces of influence ranging from Chicago and Delta Blues, to the Big Easy and beyond.  I love this amalgam of blues and jazz.  It’s speckled with phenomenal jams and amazing surprises.

“Rocking Chair” washes over like a cool breeze on the front porch at the end of a hot summer day, lulling me into a state of peacefulness with its gentle riff and relaxing melody.  “Cargo” follows up, nicely segued and maintaining a meditative state for a while, until it wakes up and sweetly begins to accelerate.  Without going too far, it eventually returns back to its original launch pad with an array of cosmic guitar licks and spacy percussion.  Then the hypnotic rhythm of “Mousetrap” rolls out and draws me right in to its enchanting, funky lair.  I love the swampy sliver of slide guitar Rissanen tosses into the mix.  The fresh funky jazz piece called “Tofu Queen” is light and intoxicating.  It brings a smile to my face with every listen.  In a Pink Floyd syle, “Once Upon a Time” gracefully brings this brilliant album to its euphoric end.

Cargo is such an extraordinary listen.  It’s absolutely flawless.

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