JAZZ

摘要

Ten years and six albums ago, saxophonist Timo Lassy's band grew out of the Helsinki-based Five Corners Quintet, which had caught the wave of dance-floor jazz. By adding Creek-born keyboardist George Kontrafouris and percussionist Abdissa Assefa to the Five Corners rhythm team of Antti Lotjonen and Teppo Makynen, Lassy created his own finely-honed quintet. But here you also get the Ricky-Tick Big Band brass led by another Five Corners alumnus, trumpeter Jukka Eskola. Guest vocalist Joyce Elaine Yuille takes us 'Harlem's Way' and rapper Paleface offers social comment in 'Trouble', yet this smooth, superbly-crafted set is easy on the ear from end to end.