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Pepa Päivinen
New album of saxophone-maestro Pepa Päivinen is out 18.11.2009 on Presence Records label. On this North Pipe-release joins forces the same quartet that made the well received Tiram Num album in 2005: Timo Kämärainen -guitars, Ville Huolman -bass, Mikko Hassinen -drums and Pepa Päivinen -saxes and flute. The guest musicians are Mongo Aaltonen -percussion and Juho Laitinen -cello. www.vapaataanet/pepapaivinen/

Esa Kotilainen
A brand new album “Turquoise Planet” from the keyboardwizard, Esa Kotilainen is available on Presence Records label. Esa..s work in Finnish music scene is well known during last four decades. He was part of Tasavallan Presidentti and Wigwam in the 70..s, played on Wigwam..s legendary Nuclear Nightclub-album and on two Wigwam..s latest albums, Titan..s Wheel and Some Several Moons. He..ve also had collaborations with many general Finnish artists like Hector and Jukka Tolonen. He..s 70..s classic soloalbum was Ajatuslapsi (1977) and this continues the story bringing his ambient athmospheres to more global level.

Pax Romana
The second album of finnish prog-rock band Pax Romana is out since the 12th of august 2009. Titled “And The Dance Begins Again” it includes 9 new songs and features musical guests like Maria Hänninen, Kalle Fält and Jari Loisa among others. The first Pax Romana album Trace Of Light from 2005 will also available on Presence Records catalogue from now on as well as the reissue of that album with a new cover in iTunes. The band also appeared on the Colossus / Musea release “Tuonen tytär II” doing a cover version of old Rockressio song “Nobody never knows nothing”. That is out on the Musea Records France. www.paxromana.fi

Ageness
Ageness was founded in 1991. The debut album Showing Paces was released in 1992, and raised a lot of enthusiasm. In next two years they were doing dozens of gigs, including Down By the Laituri and Helsinki Festivals (to 10,000 people).

In the mid 90s Ageness were very active. 1995 they released the second album Rituals, which gained again an impressive amount of international praise. They headlined the 1996 Colossus Prog Festival with Anekdoten. Also in -97, the Finnish Broadcasting Company FST did a 16-minute TV special "Imageness", including the songs "Line of Force" and "Metamorphosis" from their forthcoming new album. The French label Musea Records was very impressed and offered a worldwide license deal and released Imageness in 1998.

In 1998, two big things happened in the band's career: An official promo video Fear, from their new album was released in the summer of 1998. They also played at the Stoa/Colossus Prog Concert with John Wetton and Ritual from Sweden. In 1999 Ageness performed in a studio concert, which was broadcasted live by Finnish national radio. In the summer 1999 band played for the first time at the famous Ruisrock Festival, and also in Holland and Belgium.

During the following years, Ageness played only on very special occasions, like a few tribute concerts for the Colossus Progressive Association (etc. tributes for Wigwam, Rush or Peter Gabriel). In 2002, they played again with John Wetton and Moongarden.

www.ageness.net www.myspace.com/ageness

Johanna Iivanainen
Loisto - The Collection is the first collection album by singer-songwriter Johanna Iivanainen. It sums up her incredibly versatile and active career within the past ten years as a recording artist.

Loisto, however, is not a traditional hit collection, even though it includes many popular songs - Loisto is more of a selection of songs which have a great importance to the artist herself, and from which one can hear Johanna Iivanainen's presence and contribution beyond singing.

Johanna herself describes the record with following liner notes: ,,This album is a collection of songs that have and haven't been recorded in past 10 years. I've worked in many bands as a visiting singer, but this record brings forth mostly songs that I've done as a composer or a songwriter. ,,

The opening track Loisto is Johanna's own song, a beautiful, almost forgotten piece of music which was originally released in the album Free Control II (2001). Three of the songs Forces Of Nature, I Bear My Burden and I'm Waiting were previously released on Johanna's first solo album Johanna Iivanainen (2004). There are also two songs from Korpi Ensemble named Witness and Echoes, and quite amazing, bossanova spirited version of The Scorpions megahit Still Loving You. Taulu and Hiljainen Poika are songs Johanna has recorded with 1N band.

Johanna tells, how the songs on Loisto - The Collection were chosen: ,,We took in some specialities, such as the hidden track Lennosta Kii! from Eero Koivistoinen Band's newest record and Jimi Hendri''s Hear My Train a-Comin' from year 1997, which was originally recorded only for demo purposes. That's when we started working together with my husband Mikko Iivanainen, and in this record you can also hear our new songs we just recorded in Spring 2008 at Perfect Sound Studios as a duo, Old Country and Count The Waves. Last but not least I have to mention Kultaralli, a great composition by Kalle Kalima. Beautiful lyrics were written by his wife Essi Kalima. Kultaralli was originally recorded by Soi Ensemble. ,,

Loisto - The Collection is released in co-operation with Backstage Alliance and Presence Records. The album will also be released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland by the German Nordic Notes record company.

TIME TRAVELLER's debut album is a rich combination of styles, a musical journey to the heart of, well, time and -travelling. The main point is electric guitar but also everything else that surrounds Juhani..s magical playing and themes is something unique. If you love Hendrix..s "Third Stone From The Sun" or " Cross Town Traffic", if you know how Trower played in Procol Harum and his solos and prefer Mahogany Rush on it..s most psychedelic side, this is yours treasure, truly.

Chapters I & II is entirely composed / arranged / produced / recorded / mixed, and for the most part, also played by Juhani Nisula in his full-analog home 'studio'(read: an old Fostex 16 tracker, crappy mixer and few cheap echos..)with a little help from his friends' Esko 'Zeko' Takamäki, who played the drums and percussion instruments, Timo Ristilä, who played the GREAT Moog solo on 'Part One: The Pioneers' and the violinist Sanna Ågren, who played the magnificient violin parts on 'Part Seven: The Release'.

As being a long-term proghead, Juhani wanted this album to be naturally, accordingly to it's genre, a concept album.. and yes, it IS about travelling in space & time :0) . Juhani has planned this production to be a trilogy - this first album consists on the first two Chapters (I & II), second album will consist on Chapters III & IV and naturally the trilogy's last album will consist on Chapters V & VI.

Kataya is a three-member folk-prog-ambient-group from Finland; Matti Kervinen, Teijo Tikkanen and Sami Sarhamaa playing most of the instruments, composing, arranging, re- cording and mixing together. All three guys have considerably long and successful careers in the Finnish music scene. From bands like Wolf Larsen, Chapter One, Pax Romana and Corey & Maple to Film & TV music and post production, these guys have a reputation of producing deep and mighty Scandinavian sound with a strong visual feel. With its musical roots deeply in the finnish mental landscape, Kataya ....s music is a stylish combination of ethno and elec- tronics with echoes of folk/prog era.

Kataya's debut album Canto Obscura was released 23.4.2008 in Finland and will be released in Germany, Austria and Switzerland by Nordic Notes 6.6.2008. There are also top class guest appearances on the album; a highly acclaimed jazz vocalist Johanna Iivanainen and a guitar wizard Mikko Iivanainen to mention a few.

The inspiration for this album comes from the deep wild forests of Finland. Being amongst the last pure and clean, untouched spots of nature on our planet, the Forest is and has al- ways been a church and sanctuary for us Finns. There are also numerous legends, myths and folklore about the creatures living in these woods. Although mostly instrumental, this album is a storyteller in the spirit of these old tales.

Prog'n Roll! That's the definition that the guys in Jeavestone give for their music. And indeed, it would not make 'em justice to cram this highly imaginative blend of musical styles into a more conventional and restricted category. By combining the unpredictable with the unlikely, Jeavestone have created a richly idiosyncratic alchemy of energy and beauty, which you could already hear on their debut album Mind the Soup released 2005 but this new record is really bound to take every listener pleasantly by surprise. This bunch is not afraid to experiment and juxtapose... it..s a big hug between brazil-jazz, folk and stoner rock along with duty guitar riffs and the occasional ethereal flute solo.

Jeavestone was founded in 1999 and has since released one self-financed ep. With loads of gigs behind them, the group has achieved a strong self-confidence equally matched by a subtle sense of irony at their own expense. In 2006 they had a gig in german Burg-Herzberg festival, one of biggest prog-festivals in Europe. In other words: one helluva live act, one helluva band! That's Jeavestone for ya'll!

Echosystem is a 7-member orchestra from Helsinki, playing funky tunes spiced up with sunny Brazilian rhythms. In a fresh way, they combine the Brazilian tradition with jazz, funk and contemporary club music producing a unique sound that varies from stylish/hip/chic latinjazz to hectic breakbeat. The band..s catchy groove is made up of sweet vocals accompanied by an improvising rhythm section with colourful flute and saxophone solos as the icing on the cake. Echosystem..s skilful, energetic and charismatic musicians have played together since 2001. The group has performed on several Finnish jazz festivals and they frequently tour clubs and parties. Their cd "Madaga" was released 31.01.2007. Madaga out in Japan! Echosystem..s well received debut "Madaga" will be released in Japan in May. Presence Records have made a license-deal with japanese company Inpartmaint Inc. "Inpartmaint" The japanese edition of the album will include a special bonus track.

Tasavallan presidentti

Tasavallan Presidentti is one of the original pioneers of finnish progressive rock. The group was originally formed in 1969 by guitarist Jukka Tolonen and drummer Vesa Aaltonen.

A new studioalbum from these legends was released on 8th of november 2006. Titled “Six Complete”, the album includes nine songs written by Frank Robson and Jukka Tolonen. Seven of those are new compositions and two are new versions of old songs. Last Night is an updated vocal version of a song originally released on Jukka Tolonen..s first solo album; Dance on the other hand is a new interpretation of one of Tasavallan Presidentti..s Lambert Land -album songs.

Six Complete is a first studio release since groups “Milky Way Moses” (1974).

Presence Records distributes the band..s new "Six + Live! DVD. Read more.

Corey & Maple

Corey & Maple is a two-man band, a production team and a studio project of two friends who..ve been playing together in various rock bands since the early nineties. The music they make is driven by the force of endless search for the perfect song - with no boundaries, rules, or restrictions. They use all the tools, instruments and guest musicians necessary to catch the spirit of their songs.

Corey & Maple..s debut album "Dialogue" (released 2002) was based on samples and electronics, and originally was meant to be entirely programmed, but quickly took a turn towards more analog approach with real live instruments. Dialogue is a mixture of funky rhythms, electronically treated vocals and cinematic textures. Underneath, you can hear echoes of some of their musical influences throughout the years.

The second album "Home In The Universe" (release 31.1.2007) broadens their musical horizon even more. This time, after a quite long song-writing period, the recording sessions were intense and full of impulsive creativeness, resulting in a fresh, down-to-earth style production. The album got its final direction during august 2006 sessions when C&M spent time mostly jamming, chopping and re-arranging songs. There are a lot of "hats-offs" to the great bands and artists who the guys grew up listening to. The electronics give place to live instruments and the sounds sometimes go blatantly 70..s. Rock, prog, jazz and spacey soundscapes shake hands on this album, taking you to a small trip in space and time.

Kurkirku

Kurkirku: The Mesh
Kurkirku plays free organic jazz with world / experimental / lounge influences and comes from the Porvoo - Helsinki-area, from the southern coast of Finland. The groups.. unique musical mix can be described as a type of nordic sound with resemblance to fresh jazz and crossover artists risen here and there in Scandinavia within a few years. Maybe some influences come from the period when lead singer and the other composer Mirella Pendolin lived in Norway and was active making music and performing there. Kurkirku was founded 2003 by Mirella Pendolin and Kalle Katz who also wrote most of the material for this debut album. This line up has played together since the fall 2004. This debut album was recorded in Perfect Sound Studios during spring 2007, almost totally live in studio with just a very few overdubs. If you leave out boundaries or thick genre definitions, The Mesh is a colourful combination, temporarily chaotic but also with a twinkle in its.. eye; smooth, shamanistic and a spiritual meltingpot of music.
www.myspace.com/kurkirku