** Limited edition of 500. Gatefold double LP sealed with pictures and liner-notes, hype sticker. ** 

A previously unissued post-bop gem from 1970, Jyväskylä Workshop Band 1970 documents a rare convergence of Scandinavian and American modern jazz on a Finnish stage. Bringing together American saxophonist Charlie Mariano, Norwegian bassist Arild Andersen, and leading Finnish voices Heikki Sarmanto, Eero Koivistoinen, Paroni Paakkunainen, Seppo Ranniko, Pekka Pöyry, Edward Vesala, and Matti Koskiala, the recording captures a workshop band functioning at the level of an all-star ensemble.

Professionally recorded in concert, the session presents a sequence of groovy, adventurous and at times exotically tinged compositions that channel the post-Coltrane language through a distinctly Nordic lens. Extended forms, strong themes and open sections allow each soloist room to stretch, while the rhythm teams pivot between hard-swinging passages, modal vamps and freer episodes without losing focus or drive. The result is a music that feels both rooted in late-60s post-bop and alert to the new freedoms that were reshaping European jazz.

Beyond its musical value, the tape is a significant historical document. It catches several key figures of Finnish jazz still early in their journeys, already developing the personal approaches that would later define the country’s scene. Set in the context of a workshop project rather than a regular touring band, the album reveals how quickly ideas were moving across borders, with American, Norwegian and Finnish players meeting on equal terms. Released decades after it was recorded, Jyväskylä Workshop Band 1970 finally gives this line-up its due place in the story of how Finland stepped confidently onto the global jazz map.