Rémi Charmasson (electric guitar), Jari Hongisto (trombone), Stephan Oliva (piano), Claude Tchamitchian (double bass)

In Finnish the word “ääni” refers to the voice as well as sound; the meaning is defined by the context. In the plural, this rich noun so charged with significance becomes “äänet” – voices, sounds.
Rémi Charmasson, Stephan Oliva and Claude Tchamitchian’s choice of this word to symbolise their meeting with Jari Hongisto is not innocent; it embodies the essence of the immediate communion they felt with the flamboyant trombonist – voices and sounds blending and responding to each other in astounding manner, in an organic movement impossible to resist. Originally the guest of the Charmasson/Oliva/Tchamitchian trio, Jari becomes the catalyst for a new quartet, totally obvious to whoever cares to plunge their ears into this Aquarian Forest.
Charles Gil


Charles Gil has been organising itinerant tours for French and Finnish groups in double billing combinations ever since he went to live in Finland in 1996. Thus artists from both countries have been able to make contact, even friends, with each other, and some of the encounters have given rise to groups who now appear regularly.
This time, Stephan, Rémi and I were leaving on a three-week tour in trio with previously prepared musical “situations” such as themes, scripts, type of improvisation, that we’d be presenting gradually to three Finnish musicians, Jari Hongisto (tb), Verneri Pohjola (tp) and Heikki Nikula (cl). Charles had orchestrated the venture with his usual impeccable care and attention. There would be three concerts in quartet with each of them in turn and two more with everyone at the end of the tour.
As the project took shape it soon became clear that we ought to record it, so we took our long-time sound engineer Bruno Levée with us. When we listened to the tapes, the one with Jari stood out by its amazing maturity. So this record is the first stage of a musical adventure we’re hoping to extend with our two other Finnish companions – and maybe we’ll do so in France, who knows?
Claude Tchamitchian


The tone was set right from the first rehearsal. Jari Hongisto has a wide range of technical prowess as well as a lively imagination. The osmosis between us was instant; each player took up the music and made it his own without ever losing sight of the group sound and the band itself – and this orchestral dimension is what gave rise to some moments of fabulous music.
Claude Tchamitchian

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[ref : EMV 1029]

Remi Charmasson, Jari Hongisto, Stephan Oliva, Claude Tchamitchian

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