Tuija Komi - Midnight Sun (2018)

As empathic as strong-voiced she gives this catchy song that connects several generations a musically new, brilliant robe. With the vocal sequences sung by her in Finnish, she sets a statement to her Finnish origin – a wonderful variety of the classic scat singing. And totally Tuija Komi. This Independence, this personal characteristic style – both vocally and musically and in the arrangements of the songs – is what gives the album his own special shining. Bravely she puts classics of the pop such as Thank You For The Music (ABBA), You Make Me Feel Brand-new (Simply Red) or It's Too Late (Carole King) next to a Feeling Good which Nina Simone already intoned impressively in 1965. She makes use of the finish pop literature (Suru on kunniavieras) like the beautiful melancholic ballad Gabriella’s Song from the movie „Wie im Himmel“ of the Sweden Stefan Nilsson and tailors an exact text gown for the latin-composition Samba Tzigane from the world-class trumpet player Dusko Goykovich. She finishes the album with If I Had My Life To Live Over, that Bob Eberly already sang – and picks one of her newest own compositions Land Of The Midnight Sun to be the Opener. This musical hommage to her home country developed in the sunkissed italy during a song-writing workshop organised by the Berklee College of Music with 200 participants of all nationality. „This special mix of the south, sun and internationality – which I all love – has apparently triggered my home sickness and brought me back to my nordic roots“, says Tuija about this song.

Midnight sun and darkness for weeks, shine bright and full of high spirits, dusky half-shade and soft melodies – the one thing is already resonating as a memory in the other one. That is Finland – and Tuija Komi is a child of this amazing light-and-shadow-theatre. With a light touch and a enormous voice she turns each of the selected songs in one of her own. Thereby she can rely on her band with Walter Lang (p), Peter Cudek (b) and Martin Kolb (dr), that follows the power-woman Tuija Komi as sensitive as self-confident like a perfectly coordinated orchestra.

„Sun at midnight must be seen. Cause if you have, you can sing of it with a happy emphasis like the Finn Tuija Komi, who makes an indulgence out of the shining. That's how music can develop, which can connect the charme of the experience of the swing of the north with the enthusiasm for the power of the melodic. An album which is made to smile.” (Ralf Dombrowski)

„Hey – Pippi Langstrumpf…“ But wait… stop…! What's this brave, strong little girl from Sweden doing here? Aren't we rather in Finland, the home country of Tuija Komi, living in Munich, who is presenting us „Midnight Sun“, her new album? The Finnish name of the Sweden brat is Peppi Pitkätossu (spelled as written) – and Tuija Komi sublimates this classic children song to a real jazz hymn.

TRACKLIST

01. Land of the Midnight Sun
02. Music Is the Magic
03. Thank You for the Music
04. Gabriella's Song
05. Samba Tzigane
06. Sinua, Sinua, Rakastan (You, You I Love)
07. You Make Me Feel Brand-New
08. Suru on Kunniavieras (Grief Is the Guest of Honour)
09. It's Too Late
10. Miksi Juuri Hän (Why Just Him)
11. Peppi Pitkätossu (Pippi Longstocking)
12. Feeling Good
13. If I Had My Life to Live Over

Personnel:

Tuija Komi - vocals
Walter Lang - piano, Fender Rhodes, FX
Peter Cudek - double bass
Martin Kolb - drums



All thanks go to the original releaser