There’s some excellent recent CDs on the Rockadillo label that clearly indicate jazz-rock fusion instrumental music is alive and well in Finland. First off vibraphonist Arttu Takalo has a great 2007 CD entitled Dark.Dark.Dark. Backed by a talented bunch of players including electric guitarist Marzi Nyman, Takalo orchestrates a jazzy fusion sound driven by his excellent vibes, piano and synths with the band grooving a fine sonic backdrop. Rockadillo also has a 2007 CD from Finnish keyboardist Anssi Tikanmäki, an instrumental opus entitled The Unknown Country. Tikanmäki is sort of the Finnish Rick Wakeman and his latest on Rockadillo features numerous rock players and orchestral musicians. Among the guitarists here are Finnish guitar ace Peter Lerche and Eemil Tikanmäki. Another 2007 guitar-centric release on Rockadillo comes from the guitarist in the Finnish jazz-rock group XL, Jarmo Saari and his latest, The Making Of Love. Saari is one of the modern masters of Finnish film music, weaving his web of guitar sounds within a wide screen vision of soundtrack sounds. The Making Of Love combines Saari’s guitar with some unearthly sounds clearly placing it in the progressive bin of jazz-rock. www.rockadillo.fi

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