Finns are often associated with playful music. See Jimi Tenor or, depending on your interests, M. A. Numminen. The multi-instrumentalist Antti Vauhkonen, a compatriot of the two, is interested in spiritual jazz, with a strong inclination towards folk. Above all, however, one must take his multi-instrumentalist seriously. In the four numbers of his latest EP as Oiro Pena, simply titled »2«, he himself plays between three and eight instruments each, such as flute, saxophone, percussion, bass, balalaika, melodica, ectare, voice. He is assisted by the pianist Joona Hulmi and the bassist, percussionist and guitarist Keijo Koskenharju. Especially Hulmi’s commitment in the final track »Love & Marriage« contributes strongly to the fact that Oiro Pena sounds or rather sounds like a Sun Ra tribute band here. As a studio recording this all works out wonderfully, but you have to ask yourself a little bit how Vauhkonen, who also plays in the jazz-rock sextet Soft Power, actually wants to bring such a program on stage without taking strong support from other colleagues. At least we have a nicely wound semi-virtual jazz band on 10-inch. The concerts are difficult at the moment anyway.
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