Olli Ahvenlahti New Quintet

Released in 2024, the album Mirror Mirror marked Olli Ahvenlahti’s return to electric jazz-funk following his previous acoustic full-length album, Thinking, Whistling (We Jazz Records, 2017). Prior to the 2024 release, the quintet performed under the name The Poet II, making the connection to his 1976 classic album The Poet obvious. However, the new record was not intended as a direct sequel, leaving the musical path open to entirely new directions in the studio. Ahvenlahti’s ensemble, both on the album and on stage, features trumpeter Jukka Eskola, saxophonist Joonatan Rautio, bassist Ville Herrala, and drummer Jaska Lukkarinen – each among the country’s elite, bringing the composer's vision to life. Ahvenlahti himself mans the keyboards, credited on the album as "Fender Rhodes Seventy Three Electric Piano and Oberheim Synthesizer." The album cover features the artwork I looked at her and she looked back IV (2019) by visual artist Eeva-Riitta Eerola. Mirror Mirror consists of eight compositions by Ahvenlahti, ranging from the powerful jazz-funk of the lead single Paint It Blue to the serene rhythmic balladry of the closing track Bedtime Snack. The maestro knows how to give space to his brilliant band, and the overall sound is elegantly pure yet suitably explosive and surprising. The experience gathered over a long career brings a sense of unhurried honesty to Ahvenlahti’s compositions. "I wanted to make one more powerful record," Ahvenlahti states. "The goal is always the same, of course, but with age, that statement takes on a more concrete resonance. Over the years, a 'now or never' feeling enters both the composing and the playing." Duration: 1 h 30 min, no intermission Doors: 17:30 Age limit: All ages / 18+ (restricted alcohol service area in the hall) Tickets 29,90 € + booking fee (from €1.50 + 0.65% of order), lippu.fi