The Pop-Liisa and Jazz-Liisa broadcast session series presents previously unreleased and forgotten gems from the biggest names of Finnish prog and jazz of the 1970's

Never bootlegged and known up until now only to a few faithful servants (and largely thought to have been lost for ever), these sessions offer a hitherto unrivalled look into the state of Finnish jazz and progressive rock between the years 1972-1977. Imagine if the sessions recorded by John Peel had only recently been discovered, and you get an idea of the cultural weight of what is being brought into the light of day here.

Originally recorded as broadcasts by YLE (the national radio service Yleisradio, ”the Finnish BBC”), the thirty-four Liisankatu sessions are a genuine who's who of Finnish prog and jazz. Interestingly, anyone with even basic knowledge of the era's biggest bands will recognize familiar names at play within these obscure bands.

As such, these sessions provide the missing link between jazz and prog, explaining through spirited performances - and largely unknown collaborations - the instrumental prowess and dexterity of these players and bands. What's best, these sessions show these exceptional bands playing for the moment in front of a hundred strong studio audience, not weighed down by the tedium of studio recording, and thus somehow miraculously managing to capture the best of both worlds: studio performances in front of a live audience.

JUPU GROUP

Live at Liisankatu Studios, Helsinki. Live Broadcast on Channel Two, Wednesday, October 2nd, 1974, 8 pm to 8.40 pm. Produced by YLE. Hosted by Matti Poijärvi.

A1. TASOT (4:29)

Music by Juhani Poutanen

Solo: Poutanen – violin

A2. AHMOO (10:48)

Music by Juhani Poutanen

Solos: Sorvali – drums & percussion, Linkola – piano

A3. ENNYSTYMÄTÖN (7:15)

Music by Juhani Poutanen

Solos: Louhivuori – electric guitar, Hanski – electric bass, Kukko – soprano saxophone

B1. CYBELE (11:08)

Music by Sakari Kukko

Solos: Kukko – soprano saxophone, Poutanen – violin, Linkola – electric piano, Kukko – flute

B2. LOKKI (7:39)

Music by Juhani Poutanen

Solos: Linkola – electric piano, Kukko – soprano saxophone

JUHANI POUTANEN – violin

SAKARI KUKKO – soprano saxophone (A1, A3, B1, B2), flute (A2, B1), talking drum (A2)

JUKKA LINKOLA – Fender Rhodes electric piano (A1, A3, B1, B2), piano (A2), organ (A2)

JANNE LOUHIVUORI – electric guitar

ILKKA HANSKI – electric bass (A1, A3, B2), double bass (A2, B1)

UPI SORVALI – drums, percussion, bird whistle (B1)

JUKKA LINKOLA OCTET

Live at Liisankatu Studios, Helsinki. Live Broadcast on Channel Two, Wednesday, May 11th, 1977, 8 pm to 8.40 pm. Produced by YLE. Hosted by Matti Konttinen.

A1. MORNING SONG (6:13)

Music by Jukka Linkola

Solo: Linkola – electric piano

A2. PIENI KANSANLAULU (8:42)

Music by trad. (Finnish folk song) & Jukka Linkola

Solos: Lahti – alto saxophone, Salminen – tenor saxophone, Hanski – double bass

B1. DITHYRAMBOS I (5:48)

Music by Jukka Linkola

Solos: Bildo – trombone, Lahti – flute

B2. DITHYRAMBOS II (7:08)

Music by Jukka Linkola

Solos: Linkola – piano, Heikkinen – flugelhorn, Salminen – tenor saxophone

B3. DITHYRAMBOS III (8:45)

Music by Jukka Linkola

Solos: Heikkinen – trumpet, Salminen – tenor saxophone, Lahti – alto saxophone, Linkola – electric piano, Bildo – trombone

ESKO HEIKKINEN – trumpet (A1, A2, B1, B3), flugelhorn (A1, B2)

TOM BILDO – trombone

PENTTI LAHTI – alto saxophone (A2, B1, B3), flute (B1, B2), bass clarinet (A1)

TEEMU SALMINEN – tenor saxophone (A2, B2, B3), soprano saxophone (A1, B1), flute (A1), clarinet (B2)

JUKKA LINKOLA – Fender Rhodes electric piano (A1, B1, B2, B3), piano (A2, B2)

ILKKA HANSKI – double bass (A1, A2, B1, B2), electric bass (B3)

JUKKIS UOTILA – drums

UPI SORVALI – percussion