We are very excited to announce the release of our Olli Ahvenlahti 'The Poet' re-issue.
Olli Ahvenlahti is a Finnish pianist, composer and conductor, born in Helsinki, Finland in 1949. A pianist, composer and conductor, Ahvenlahti has been one of leading Finnish Jazz artists since the 70s. He has recorded with several artists and groups including UMO Jazz Orchestra (1977-1982). He went on to become conductor for Finland in, believe it or not, the Eurovision Song Contest, conducting seven entries for the country from 1990 until 1998. Since the 1990s he has worked as a composer and arranger for Finnish radio and television company 'YLE’.
'The Poet' was originally released on Love Records in Finland in 1976 and is now hard to find and expensive to acquire. The most sought after track 'Grandma's Rocking Chair' became very popular with dancers in the early 90’s London acid/jazz scene due to its pace and percussion, and has appeared on many compilations since. It was reworked by Kenny Dope in 2001 and released on Finnish label 'Jazzpuu’.
This Mr Bongo re-issue is packaged in our new and improved heavyweight card sleeves, pressed on high quality vinyl, with label designs and artwork as per the original release.
A1 The Poet / A2 Sunday's Stuff / A3 Aura
B1 Sambatown (Rock Ridge) / B2 A Day At The Zoo / B3 Grandma's Rocking Chair
And it's been proving popular:
Bill Brewster (DJ History) "ACE. At long last an affordable copy of a classic album!"
Lefto (Brownswood) "The Poet, with one of my all time favorites jazz-funk tune Grandma's rocking chair... woooooo..."
Mike Chadwick (Jazz FM) "Classic album, great reissue!!"
Paul Murphy "Played this to death first time around, a real Horseshoe favourite. Glad to see it back again."
Patrick Forge (Dingwalls) "Grandma's Rocking Chair is a stone cold jazz-dance classic, it's also a ridiculously original groove, it has stood the test of time, as it sound amazing.."
Lance Ferguson (The Bamboos) "Grandmas' Rocking Chair' is a beautiful lost gem - It's a wonderful thing that this album is being re-issued properly!"
Ross Allen (Banter master) "Classic stuff.."
Sinden "Familiar with Grandmas Rocking Chair but not with the rest. Will treasure this one. Beautiful stuff"