Gravity

Gravity is unique among the discography of Joona Toivanen Trio. As a jazz combo, they have been recording together for a quarter-century, though their friendship extends even further back. Joona (piano) and his younger brother, Tapani Toivanen (bass), met drummer Olavi Louhivuori as children when they moved to the Finnish city of Jyvaskyla. As musicians, the three friends have led a remarkably consistent career, touring the world and releasing seven albums of smart, elegantly made modern piano jazz. Improvisation has long been one of their hallmarks, but never before to this degree. On a tour of Finland, they found themselves with an unexpected two-day gap between concerts, and instead of returning home for a break, they spontaneously booked time at a little-known studio out in the country. With no previously written material and only the instruments they had on hand, the group entered Lammaskallion Audio with a blank slate. The 12 tracks included on Gravity were composed on the spot with Joona playing the studios charming old upright piano and a smattering of available synthesizers. Tapani and Olavi followed suit, using a mix of their own touring gear and what was available in the room. The resulting music is patient, textured, and intimate. Its the sound of artists who know each other well, on multiple levels, conversing in the common language theyve developed over decades of interaction. There are short tracks that play like whimsical question marks ("[Maybe in the] Future") and longer ones that feel anxious and yearning ("Rotating Dust"). The stuttering, quirky "Implications and Consequences" sounds like a mix of good-natured banter peppered with bits of chaos, not unlike friends talking in everyday life. Noisy ambient textures come and go throughout the songs as the musicians picked up and played with whatever instruments were lying around. There is a toy piano, the thump of a tribal drum, an old organ, and other noisemakers. The music has a casual air with plenty of space between the notes. After all, this was made on a day off; no one was in a hurry. In some ways, the trios creative arc led them to this point. 2022s Both Only, their previous album and first for the cutting-edge We Jazz label, was similarly experimental and a logical evolution amid their slowly maturing catalog. The only question now is: where to go from here? ~ Timothy Monger