Guitarist Raoul Björkenheim’s second album with his group eCsTaSy,
shows them further developing their vision of modern jazz that looks to mix melodic
song forms with longer collectively improvised tracks. The remainder of the
band consists of Pauli Lyytinen on saxophones, Jori Huhtala on bass and Markku
Ounaskari on drums. “Heads and Tails” has and slow and probing opening for
sharp and metallic guitar and bass. Drums build in for a nicely developing trio
section, and then a saxophone slides in as well to fill out the sound. Lyytinen
‘s saxophone digs in with a raw and gritty sound and the rest of the group
responds, building to an excellent cacophony. Excellent free soloing from the
saxophonist, reaching for the stars with ample support from the remaining trio,
makes way for a shift to a full band improvisation scouring the music that lays
before them until they meet the finish line. There is a jazzier feel to
“Quintrille” with the music sounding fast paced and knotty, with soprano
saxophone swirling and swooping. Björkenheim’s effects laden guitar then takes
center stage for a short wild solo, before everyone returns together under some
superb saxophone playing. “Uptown” is hot right off the bat, with driving bass
and snarling guitar, chomping like a rabid dog. Saxophone gracefully moves in
with excellent bass support from Huhtala and then everybody stays hot. There is
a very interesting rhythm from Ounaskari on “OLJ” along with smears of
saxophone and guitar, making the music ominous and foreboding. Big slabs of
electric guitar, building edifies of noise and then suddenly… silence. “Roller
Coaster” has swirling soprano saxophone with a fine bass solo inserted. The
music is very fast and intricate, with flurries of notes and yearning saxophone
against shards of guitar and powerful drumming. The band works very well
together, moving through sub-genres of jazz as a cohesive unit. They allow the
music to shift dynamically from composed to free, and Björkenheim’s shows his
chops in areas from progressive rock to abstract improvisation. And you can’t
beat that album cover. 
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