|
|
| ”Tuomi’s use of wide ranging tones contributes to the cd’s distinctive soundscapes. They feel as though they have been carefully collaged using instrumental soundings that entirely compliment each other. It is both colourful and absorbing in its execution and the deployment of materials and should certainly tempt anyone who thinks an album consisting solely of percussion is not for them.” |
|
Paul Donnelly |
|
|
|
|
|
”Tuomi’s solo methodolgy consists of noisy drumkit bashing alternating with gongs and cymbals sounding in shimmering waves, a pattern that takes on the feel of ritual. The drones, rattles, and sickly trumpet added to this at various times increase the aura of mystery and elemental energy.” |
|
”...with a grand sense of form and purpose” |
|
”A lot of Finnish jazz draws from the folk elements of their culture. Here is one impressive example.” |
|
Jerome Wilson |
|
Cadence |
|
|
|
|
|
”Approaching does not sound like jazz in the conventional sense. It does not swing, and it is often difficult, even impossible, to ascertain how much is composed and how much is improvised. Yet, this is ordered, thoughtful music, and it is pleasantly surprising how much there is to hear.” |
|
” Tuomi builds each piece carefully, even meticulously. ” |
|
”adventurous, unique album.” |
|
By Marc Meyers |
|
|
|
”...the drumming is so intensely enjoyable it needs to be heard without accompaniment to be enjoyed properly. Difficult, but deep and rewarding, ‘Approaching’ is a marvellous record.” |
|
|
|
”Carefully constructed, rising and falling, with hazy drone and dramatic clatter, soothing bells and rattling sticks...not a noisy racket at all, but a personal sound-world quite listenable for something that falls into the 'solo percussion' category.” |
|
|
|
It's difficult to find words that do justice to conservatory-trained Finnish percussionist, free-music journeyman, and occasional Circle drummer Janne Tuomi. Approaching, his solo debut from 2004, kicks up clouds of sustained, polymorphous rhythms that are as stark as an empty temple yet as powerful as a collapsing building. Well-placed bursts of pocket trumpet and reverberating gongs add color to the shifting, tidal clatter. Like a less industrial, quieter Z'ev for the new millennium, Tuomi has located a unique intersection between avant-garde drone, the jazz improv of Edvard Vesala or Milford Graves, and the grace of mother nature herself. |
|
|
|
”for those of free mind.” |
|
|
|
THE WIRE, November 2004 |
|
JANNE TUOMI: APPROACHING |
|
|
|
'Finnish pecussionist' has long time meant Edward Vesala. Now conservatory trained Janne Tuomi is emerging from Vesala's looming shadow with ambitious solo release. After leaving the academy in 2000, he took private lessons in California with hand drum virtuosos John Bergamo and Brad Dutz, all the time keeping his ear attuned fully to the fire, drive and invention of East Coast giants Milford Graves and Elvin Jones. Approaching shows that Tuomi, while absorbing useful precedents from a range of musical fields, has developed his own vision of where the percussionist's role may take him. |
|
Approaching lasts 35 minutes and has five stages, each longer than the one preceding it. It commences with flashing and thunderous eruption from the heart of the kit and concludes away from the drumset with "Contemplation", a piece combining gongs, thumb piano, an electronic tambura's twanging drone and pocket trumpet musing. The structure of Approaching, its varied instrumentation and mutations of pace readily suggest narrative, with Tuomi as storyteller relating a journey through a series of states from turbulence to eventual meditative calm. More importantly, it's a lively and serious engagement with the power, colour and nuance of sound. The rattling shells, gong splash and tinkling bells are evocative but they are also as much the substance of the music as Tuomi's energetic polyrhytmic kitwork. |
|
”Approaching shows that Tuomi, while absorbing useful precedents from a range of musical fields, has developed his own vision of where the percussionist's role may take him.” |
|
”The structure of Approaching, its varied instrumentation and mutations of pace readily suggest narrative, with Tuomi as storyteller relating a journey through a series of states from turbulence to eventual meditative calm. More importantly, it's a lively and serious engagement with the power, colour and nuance of sound. The rattling shells, gong splash and tinkling bells are evocative but they are also as much the substance of the music as Tuomi's energetic polyrhytmic kitwork.” |
|
THE WIRE, November 2004 |
|
By Julian Cowley |
|
|
|
cd-reviews: JANNE TUOMI: Approaching (Ektro-030) |
|
Solo drumming may not be to everyone’s taste but there are plenty of drummers who can captivate a listener, whether soloing within an ensemble or, as is the case here, completely alone. I think of the obvious names; Elvin, Sonny Murray, Milford Graves, Louis Moholo, John Stevens, Tony Levin et al, but then there are those whose work may never find a larger audience; people like Frank Perry, for example. And some of this cd recalled Perry’s own pioneering work. Tuomi, who was once a disciple of another great craftsman and composer, the Finnish drummer Edward Vesala, has not only absorbed the approach of his countryman but also some of the methods of those listed above. He has composed and recorded, without overdubs, a short selection of work that explores some of the possibilities available to the exploratory percussionist. His arsenal, like Perry’s, is not restricted to a conventional kit but makes use of other instruments such as tam tams, opera gongs, pocket trumpet and voice. |
|
Utilising this range of percussion Tuomi has constructed five pieces that delve into a variety of timbre, mood and colour. This isn’t purely about rhythm, though that is an integral ingredient, it is also concerned with contrasting textures that make use of both delicacy and some more aggressive and attacking techniques. Opening with the brief resonance of a gong he launches into an equally short but full-bodied attack before the next track, ‘Approach’ introduces shaken percussion and terse bursts of vocalised trumpet, the later being softened by judicious use of melodic gongs. The effect is mesmeric and seductively minimal, like a small orchestra employed with restraint. |
|
‘Keskus’ opens with some spacious playing around the main kit, coaxing crisp accents from snare and cymbals. The piece builds tension before relaxing into another passage where space is, again, a vital component in constructing several textural layers, along with what sounds like a stringed instrument intermittently emitting a single mournful note. |
|
Possibly the most arresting track is the final one, aptly titled ‘Contemplation’. Here he uses a range of gongs and tuned percussion as well as trumpet to create a scenario that is meditative and dramatic by turns. There are a number of sounds that suggest an Eastern provenance placed next to the muted melodies of an African mbira. It is a very effective and attractive fusion whatever the sources may be. |
|
Tuomi’s use of wide ranging tones contributes to the cd’s distinctive soundscapes. They feel as though they have been carefully collaged using instrumental soundings that entirely compliment each other. It is both colourful and absorbing in its execution and the deployment of materials and should certainly tempt anyone who thinks an album consisting solely of percussion is not for them. |
|
Paul Donnelly |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Cadence |
|
Vol. 31 No. 9 September 2005 JANNE TUOMI: APPROACHING |
|
I shudder to think what would happen if Longberg-Holm teamed up with Finnish percussionist Janne Tuomi, who kicks his own little tantrum on ”Approaching”. Tuomi’s solo methodolgy consists of noisy drumkit bashing alternating with gongs and cymbals sounding in shimmering waves, a pattern that takes on the feel of ritual. The drones, rattles, and sickly trumpet added to this at various times increase the aura of mystery and elemental energy. The final piece, ”Contemplation,” really emphasizes the ritual aspect as Tuomi moves from cymbals to Indian drones to thumb piano and, finally, gongs with a grand sense of form and purpose, not unlike what the late Finnish drummer Edward Vesala used to do in his bands. A lot of Finnish jazz draws from the folk elements of their culture. Here is one impressive example. |
|
Jerome Wilson |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Janne Tuomi: Approaching By Marc Meyers |
|
Approaching does not sound like jazz in the conventional sense. It does not swing, and it is often difficult, even impossible, to ascertain how much is composed and how much is improvised. Yet, this is ordered, thoughtful music, and it is pleasantly surprising how much there is to hear. |
|
The recording proceeds from a very basic premise: Finnish percussionist Janne Tuomi, sitting at his drum kit, along with his pocket trumpet, flanked by other percussion instruments. There are no overdubs, and there are no edits. Tuomi builds each piece carefully, even meticulously. Sometimes, as on “Keskus,” the music rises to a ringing climax, with Tuomi striking his gongs and cymbals. Most of these performances are in a rubato, or unmetered, tempo, what is often called “free” time, although Tuomi flirts with a recognizable pulse in the early moments of “Kohtaaminen.” |
|
Tuomi's pocket trumpet adds coloration by playing notes or sounds, blats and bleeps. There's a trumpet solo on “Contemplation” that sounds like Don Cherry on a bad day. In all other respects, however, “Contemplation” is a very successful performance. It opens with a plaintive melody played on what sounds like a balafon, a sort of West African xylophone. A slow tempo appears, the melody is heard again on pocket trumpet while other instruments shimmer and hum. Despite the relatively weak trumpet solo, ”Contemplation” is quite beautiful. |
|
Approaching isn't for everyone. One could accuse it of being a 35-minute drum solo with gongs and trumpet blats for variety. But that's really not the case with this adventurous, unique album. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
JANNE TUOMI - Approaching |
|
Free jazz is a funny old beast, and is very easy to get wrong. There is a fine line between mindless clattering, and well, intelligent clattering. Thankfully, this album from Finnish percussionist Janne Tuomi falls into the latter category, and though it is made up of mostly drum solos (punctuated by gong sounds and occasional trumpet bleats) it is a captivating and hugely enjoyable listening experience. A good comparison would be the work of free jazz legend Han Bennink (most famed for his work with Peter Brotzmann) in it’s excruciating skill and detail and the use of obscure instruments in addition to the regular drumkit, and also the recent Thomas Stronen album on Rune Grammofon, which was even recorded in an identical manner – one take, no overdubs. On first listen the record may sound quite exclusive, one for the initiated only, yet the drumming is so intensely enjoyable it needs to be heard without accompaniment to be enjoyed properly. Difficult, but deep and rewarding, ‘Approaching’ is a marvellous record. |
|
|
|
|
|
TUOMI, JANNE Approaching (Ektro) |
|
Another new release brought to us by Finland's Ektro, the label run by our pal Jussi of Circle. Ektro's releases are always graphically quite nice and musically quite adventurous and unpredictable, although Jussi's interest in prog and psych usually is evident. In this case, we have a percussion extravaganza from one Janne Tuomi (currently, a member of Circle and various underground Finnish improv ensembles). It's mostly percussion, anyway -- the list of instruments in the cd booklet reads thusly: "drumset, cymbals, percussion, tam-tams, opera gongs, changgo, pandiero, raagini-pro, pocket trumpet, voice". With these implements, and "no overdubs, no editing", Tuomi has created five instrumental pieces (not conventional songs, we mean), bridging free jazz and Finnish free-folk. Carefully constructed, rising and falling, with hazy drone and dramatic clatter, soothing bells and rattling sticks...not a noisy racket at all, but a personal sound-world quite listenable for something that falls into the 'solo percussion' category. |
|
|
|
|
|
***NOW AVAILABLE!!! A percussion extravaganza from Finland’s JANNE TUOMI (CIRCLE), performed with drumset, cymbals, percussion, tam-tams, opera gongs, changgo, pandiero, raagini-pro, pocket trumpet, and voice. With these implements, and "no overdubs, no editing", Tuomi has created five instrumental pieces that bridge free jazz and Finnish free-folk. Beautiful music that rises, falls, drones, and clatters. |
| Suomeksi |
|
RYTMI-lehti 6/2004 |
|
Janne Tuomi: Approaching Ei mitään turhanaikaista kolistelua.
Janne Tuomi on monipuolinen lyömäsoittaja, joka on yhtä hyvin kotonaan niin free jazzin parissa kuin sinfoniaorkestereiden rivistöissä. Tältä taustalta ei olekaan mikään ihme, että hän on tehnyt monipuolisen ja kiinnostavan soololevyn, jolla rumpusetin ja monien eri lyömäsoitinten lisäväreinä on ainoastaan taskutrumpetti ja ihmisääni. Äkkiseltään tuollainen yhdistelmä saattaisi vaikuttaa tylsältä, mutta ei: Tuomella on musiikissaan ideaa ja ajatusta. 35-minuuttisen kuuntelurupeaman aikana ei ehdi kyllästymään, päinvastoin se hurahtaa hetkessä ohi ja lisää jää kaipaamaan. Onnistunutta lopputulosta korostaa vielä se, että kaikki on laitettu suorana purkkiin, päällekkäisäänityksiä tai editointeja ei ole tehty. **** Timo Vähäsilta |
|
|
|
Janne Tuomi: Approaching Suomijazzin arvio: Lyömäsoittaja Janne Tuomen soololevy alkaa paukkeella ja pauhulla, mutta vaipuu pian täyteen hiljaisuuteen. Sitten, hiljalleen, alkaa kehkeytyä liikettä, rytmejä, värejä, musiikkia. Tuomen lyömäsoittimista löytyy niistäkin säveltasoja, mutta taskutrumpetti on levyn soittimista ainoa "normaali" melodiasoitin. Tässä yhteydessä silläkin on ihan muita tehtäviä kuin tuoda esille teemoja: efektinomainen, puheen, huudon tai valituksen sijainen sen ääni useimmiten on. Levyllä on viisi nimettyä kappaletta, mutta yhden miehen perkussiivisen matkan kokee luontevammin puolituntisena kokonaisuutena. Näin siitäkin huolimatta, että viimeinen kappale erottuu viemällä retken itäisiin sfääreihin, kun pohjalla soi Raagini Pro, sähköinen versio intialaisesta tanpura-bordunasoittimesta. Lyömäsoittajan sooloesitys yleisemminkin on parhaimmillaan jotakin sellaista, joka nousee suorittamisen yläpuolelle. Ei ole kaikkein tärkein asia, miten hyvä lyöjä on teknisesti, vaan tarinan kertominen ja draaman jäntevä eteenpäinvienti nousee lopulta paljon tärkeämmäksi. Viekö rumpu mukanaan? Lähestytäänkö peräti ihmisen perussykettä? Suorittamisen kautta musiikkia lähestyvät ovat tällaisen lähestymistavan kanssa pulassa. Pelkästään tätä levyä kuuntelemalla ei pääse perille esimerkiksi siitä onko Janne Tuomi luova amatööri vai rautainen ja rutinoitunut ammattilainen. Tiedän ihmisiä, joiden mielestä musiikki on vaarallista (vaikka tuskin he asianlaitaa itse tunnustavat), jos se ei ole selvästi arvotettavissa teknisen suorittamisen kautta. Pitäisi voida sanoa "paskaa!" tahi "loistavaa!", ja nimenomaan "osaamisen" perusteella. Kuviteltavissa ovat myös seuraavat arkkityyppiset jokamiehenkritiikit: "kuka tahansa nyt osaa vapaita rytmejä läpsytellä" tai vähintään "kuka tahansa rumpali voi tehdä soololevyn". Totta ja totta. Kuka tahansa voi, kyse onkin siitä kuka tekee. Janne Tuomi on oman matkansa tehnyt. Äänitelty on kaikessa rauhassa omassa olohuoneessa, hyvässä ja vapaassa hengessä. Tuomi rakentaa vaihtelevan kokonaisuuden, joka toimii parhaiten keskittyneesti kuunneltuna, ilman muita ärsykkeitä. Energisemmistä jaksoista huolimatta kokonaisuus tuppaa lopulta jättämään minulle lievää mietiskelyvaihetta päälle, ja viimeisten äänten hiivuttua Tuomen olohuoneesta omaani tuntuu siirtyneen seesteinen, hieman surumielinenkin tunnelma. Pentti Ronkanen 8.12.2005 ***1/2 |