Artist: Ari Poutiainen

Date of Release: 01/08/2011

Catalogue no: SLAMCD 530

Label: SLAM

Price: £9.99

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Track Listing

A very original CD by Italian violinist and multi-instrumentalist Stefano Pastor, winner at Top Jazz 2010, and Finnish violinist and educator Ari Poutiainen. The violin duo is a rarity is jazz; here two masters of the instrument create music of warmth, passion and a level of sensitivity that reaches out to the listener.

STEFANO PASTOR/ARI POUTIAINEN - North South Dial (Slam 530; UK) Stefano Pastor on violin and minimal synth and Ari Poutiainen on violin. I've heard Italian-born violin master on numerous occasions from his half dozen duo & trio discs on the Slam label plus he has played here at DMG on a couple of occasions. I wasn't familiar with the other violinist, Ari Poutiainen, but it turns out that he has published his doctoral dissertation on 'A Fingering Strategy for Jazz Violin Improvisation'. Mr. Pastor has a completely distinctive tone and approach to the violin and has been known to use guitar strings on his instrument. Violin duos are certainly a rarity and this one sounds unlike anything I've heard, since both men have their own distinctive sound. On "Simmering Telluric Current", one violin sounds harsh, brittle and intense while the other creates a slightly less twisted drone. For "Cosmic Steam", it sounds as if both spirits are dancing around a flame, bending their notes around a disturbing melody that is hard to not be fascinated by. Sometimes two different ideas are explored simultaneously so that we hear strange harmonies. From time to time, Stefano adds bits of synth swirls to good effect, like a shadow or shade that add some dark depth. This duo is most often intense and powerful in their explorations. This is not music for the timid. An amazing adventure through old and new terrain. Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery July 2011

Reviews

01/08/2011 François Couture

STEFANO PASTOR & ARI POUTIAINEN / North South Dial (Slam Productions)
Collaboration entre deux violonistes improvisateurs. Pastor adopte ici un style très textural (cordes frottées, presque en mode drone) et Poutiainen, un style plus lyrique, voire mélodique. Une rencontre inédite (c’était la première fois qu’ils étaient en présence l’un de l’autre), deux univers très différents qui font place l’un à l’autre. Intéressant.
Collaboration between two improvising violinists. Pastor goes for a highly textural approach (screeching strings, almost drone-like), while Poutiainen plays more lyrically and doesn’t shy away from melodies. A first meeting (they had never been physically in the same room before), two very differnt soundworlds that make room for one another. Interesting.
François Couture

01/07/2011 Bruce Lee Gallanter

STEFANO PASTOR/ARI POUTIAINEN - North South Dial (Slam 530; UK) Stefano Pastor on violin and minimal synth and Ari Poutiainen on violin. I've heard Italian-born violin master on numerous occasions from his half dozen duo & trio discs on the Slam label plus he has played here at DMG on a couple of occasions. I wasn't familiar with the other violinist, Ari Poutiainen, but it turns out that he has published his doctoral dissertation on 'A Fingering Strategy for Jazz Violin Improvisation'. Mr. Pastor has a completely distinctive tone and approach to the violin and has been known to use guitar strings on his instrument. Violin duos are certainly a rarity and this one sounds unlike anything I've heard, since both men have their own distinctive sound. On "Simmering Telluric Current", one violin sounds harsh, brittle and intense while the other creates a slightly less twisted drone. For "Cosmic Steam", it sounds as if both spirits are dancing around a flame, bending their notes around a disturbing melody that is hard to not be fascinated by. Sometimes two different ideas are explored simultaneously so that we hear strange harmonies. From time to time, Stefano adds bits of synth swirls to good effect, like a shadow or shade that add some dark depth. This duo is most often intense and powerful in their explorations. This is not music for the timid. An amazing adventure through old and new terrain. Bruce Lee Gallanter, Downtown Music Gallery July 2011