Heikki Sarmanto - Like a Fragonard - Moment Musical

Tapani Kansa (1949-) broke through in 1968 with his version of the Les Reed/Barry Mason-penned Tom Jones hit "Delilah", and his career has been very productive and steadily popular to this day.

Heikki Sarmanto (1939-) is a jazz pianist with his own style entirely, he's lived in New York and is very well known in the local jazz scene, and he's released about 40 albums.

Maija Hapuoja (1948-) has sung on 13 of Sarmanto's records, she's an extremely talented and versatile singer, best known for her jazzy side.

In 1978, these three recorded an album of music composed to poems by legendary poet Eino Leino (1878-1926). Kansa's and Hapuoja's powerful voices dominate the record.

Moment Musical (1978):

1. Yli metsän koitti jo päivän koi (Over the Forest the Day Is Already Breaking)
2. Hyljätyn valitus (The Moan of an Abandoned)
3. Meri kuutamolla (The Sea in Moonlight)
4. Moment Musical
5. Hautaus (Burial)
6. Iltarukous (Evening Prayer)
7. Minä metsän polkua kuljen (I'm Walking a Forest Path)
8. Marjatan laulu (Marjatta's Song)
9. Talvilaulu (Winter Song)
10. Hanget soi (The Snow Drifts Sound)
11. Kun kello seisoo (When the Clock Stands Still)
12. Rauha (Peace)

I found this little review at www.suomijazz.com:

Like A Fragonard is kind of "jazz mass" written for a small jazz combo, dancers and a singer. It was performed in a famous cave church (Temppeliaukion kirkko) in Helsinki Finland (see the cover picture). In the 70's it was extraordinary new to see dancers in a church. The music is dreamy, soft and meditative. The combo is the same as in Counterbalance.

Timo Laitakari
Music composed by Heikki Sarmanto. Lyrics by Diana Glass, Grassdream by Laura Clayton.

Heikki Sarmanto Serious Music Ensemble:
Maija Hapuoja (voc), Juhani Aaltonen (fl, ts), Lance Gunderson (g), Pekka Sarmanto (b), Craig Herndon (dr), Heikki Sarmanto (el-p)

Produced by Raimo Henriksson
Recorded by Kari Tamminen at Finnvox Studios,
Helsinki, Finland, 9/1971

Like a Fragonard (1971):

1.Psalm
2.Like A Fragonard
3.Ibiza / Grassdream
4.Wolf
5.Le Petit Soldat
6.Broadway 5821
7.Fallen Grace


http://finnishrock.blogspot.com/2008/09/heikki-sarmanto-tapani-kansa-maija.html


http://finnishrock.blogspot.com/2008/09/heikki-sarmanto-music-ensemble-like.html