Heikki Sarmanto Quintet - Counterbalance (1971)

Heikki Sarmanto, born 22 June 1939, Helsinki, Finland. Sarmanto studied languages and music at Helsinki University and Sibelius Academy before going on to the Berklee College Of Music (1968-71). He was named the best pianist at Montreux in 1971. He led his own bands from 1962 and in 1976 a workshop group he ran became the big band UMO. He has written New Hope Jazz Mass, a jazz ballet and a jazz opera, and was chosen by saxophonist Sonny Rollins to arrange and orchestrate his Saxophone Concerto (1986). He continues to write vocal, orchestral and theatre works in a most assured style.

Heikki Sarmanto is something of a legend in Scandinavia but not (yet) well known in the USA. The belated American release of COUNTERBALANCE may change that, as it features a warm, harmonious fusion of jazz, rock, and elements of Finnish folk music, using both electric and acoustic instrumentation. Before ECM Records, before the concept of world music, before fusion became a popular concept, Sarmanto was there, with an approach both user-friendly and forward-looking. ---Rovi

Heikki Sarmanto - Fender Rhodes (electric piano)

Juhani Aaltonen - flute

Lance Gunderson - guitar

Pekka Sarmanto - bass    

Craig Herndon – drums

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