"I made the acquaintance of Tomi Kettunen several years ago. I was discussing with Markku Renko the idea of staging a concert of Django Reinhard’s compositions with big band accompaniment.

Django Reinhard (1910–1953), Europe’s most notable jazz musicians, came to fame as the result of his recordings with the quintet of ”Hot Club of France” made during the 1930s. A set of transcriptions, written by Markku Renko, is waiting for the opportunity to be performed once again.

I was charmed by Tomi’s authoritative and melodic interpretation, and wanted to make a recording with him. Somehow, Tomi’s style reminded me of the subdued style of Jim Hall.

The pieces I chose for this recording date from the 1930s to 1950s. ”Bolero” was written in 1937, and was inspired by Maurice Ravel’s composition of the same name. Django’s composition was a fresh recording. The same title was performed later in 1941 or 1943, (French jazz authority Charles Delauney could not remember the year exactly) in Paris at Salle Pleyel together with the composition by Ravel. Later, in 1948, Django composed a second bolero entitled ”Troublant Bolero”. It is lighter in style.

”Nympheas” was composed in 1942 and was, most likely, inspired by the painting by Monet. This is probably Django’s most significant composition of the 1940’s. The mysterious melodic and harmonic structure embraces the listener and takes them on a cool summer evening, to a prolific lily-pond. Markku Renko wrote a convincing but more modern arrangement from the original version. Fine solos from both Tomi and Jukka Perko show how well they have absorbed the texture of this composition.

”Vamp” was written in 1951. (Vamp is also a musical term for the repetition of a few bars of music before continuing. In theatre music one often sees the instruction ”vamp till ready”.) There remains only one jazz club recording of this title. Django was playing electric guitar and the band was smaller, in the Be-bob tradition. Markku Renko has written a fine arrangement based on the larger original orchestration. Solos by Tomi and Jukka Perko supported by rhythm from the Juho Valjakka trio, will go down in Finnish jazz history.

”Anouman” (the name derives from that of Hanuman, an Indian monkey god) dates from 1953 and is one of Django’s very last recordings. Markku Renko wrote a fine, ghostlike arrangement with instrumentation larger than the original, reminiscent of the mystical sounds of the Indian jungle. Tomi plays a masterful and beautiful solo.

The second half of the record reveals what is perhaps a more intimate side of Tomi’s style. It draws inspiration from the age-old guitar tradition of solo guitar. ”La Belle Vie” is Tomi’s own arrangement of the classic tune French jazz guitarist Sacha Distel wrote to Tony Bennet. ”Inspiração” and ”Se Ela Perguntar” are two romantic songs from two major Brazilian guitarist/composers Garoto and Dilermando Reis. Last tune ”Autumn Nocturne” by Josef Myrow is from the American songbook and an arrangement by American jazz guitarist legend Johnny Smith. On these four tunes Tomi explores the different possibilities of the guitar such as artificial harmonics and alternative tuning." - Timo Wuori 15.8.2025

Tomi Kettunen (guitars)
Jukka Perko (alto saxophone)
Pentti Lahti (alto flute)
Pepa Päivinen (clarinet, bass clarinet, baritone saxophone)
Mikko Mäkinen (bass clarinet, tenor saxophone)
Jarmo Rouvinen (flute, clarinet, tenor saxophone)
Markku Renko (arranger, conductor, trumpet, flugelhorn)
Kasperi Sarikoski (trombone)
Juho Valjakka (piano)
Oskari Siirtola (bass)
Anssi Tirkkonen (drums)

Kappaleet
Anouman (Django Reinhardt)
Vamp (Django Reinhardt)
Nympheas (Django Reinhardt)
Bolero (Django Reinhardt)
La belle vie (Sacha Distel)
Inspiração (Garoto)
Se ela perguntar (Dilermando Reis)
Autumn nocturne (Joseph Myrow)