Midweek pick, April 3rd, 2024: (re-)Introducing: Ville Lähteenmäki Trio
Ville Lähteenmäki Trio: Introducing: Ville Lähteenmäki Trio (Ultraääni Records)
Ville Lähteenmäki: bass clarinet, compositions
Nicolas Leirtrø: double bass
Trym Saugstad Karlsen: drums
Ville Lähteenmäki Trio is a trio of talented young Nordic trio consisting of Finish bass clarinetist Ville Lähteenmäki, rising star double bassist (and sometime baritone guitarist) Nicolas Leritrø (I Like to Sleep, Amalie Dahl’s Dafnie, Teip Trio, among others) and drummer Trym Saugstad Karlsen. Introducing is, as then name suggests, their debut. Originally released in 2022 on LP and cassette in limited editions, as well as digitally, it has now received a welcome second run on LP of 300 copies (Note: due to ship on June 1st).
Their music is deeply rooted in the free and spiritual idioms of American jazz titans like Albert Ayler and Pharoah Sanders, but has a lot of personality. Some of it due to Lähteenmäki’s bass clarinet, both in sound quality and in his playing style, where he switches between screeching cries and treading along softer, melodic trails. Leirtrø adds booming low ends plucks, quick fingered runs, and gentle strums, while Karlsen’s drumming is fittingly deft. Two lengthy pieces, simply titled “side a” and “side b”, both great, but the second tune, with its folk inspired theme and propulsive swing, especially so.