Uusi vuosi tulee

New Year is coming. At the moment some five hours for Finland to wait. Down Under it's already year 2007. Bombs booming outside. This is the way many people celebrate the coming of a new year. So - Happy New Year.

I've recorded percussions, synths and some melody lines for my composition Joulukuun hidas sade (=Slow rain of December). It's a song and Sini co-wrote the words. Sometime next year she'll sing it. J-V visited and played some guitar solos - all of which are going to be parts of the forementioned composition.

Today I saw Machine Men's video of their song No talk without the giant for the first time. No ballerinas, no trolls, no fairies - everything in it is for for real. Real playing ( though playback, of course...) and no fooling around with anything but music. This is much more effective than quirks and weird visual twists that so many bands put in their videos. Ten points for the band!

Juha H.

Scene from my backyard. (Juha H.)

Toropainen's very practical present for Liekki. (Juha H.)

Marian Petrescu

Back from Helsinki. The journey there and back was fine - meeting of friends and celebrating with them. Actually it was Liekki's birthday party.

Right now I'm listening to Marian Petrescu trio - their Hello Mr. Mozart CD. Fine mixture of classical themes with jazz. Marian is arguably the most skilful jazz-pianist in Finland.

Juha H.

Christmas scene from my backyard. Early next morning it's off to Helsinki. (Juha H.)

Merry Christmas. (Juha H. )

Pasunat

Pasunapelimannit played a charity gig in Sumiainen. Mostly Christmas Carols but some folk music, too. Nice and lively happening. Christmas is near/here.

Yesterday I wrote and recorded my parts for my composition Talven tervehdys (= Winter Greetings). Today Sini sang it and I mixed the whole. Does pot-drum from India really sound like Christmas - I do think so!

Juha H.

Today I wrote this song. I've already all my parts recorded into Pro Tools. Sini's singing is the only thing still missing. Tomorrow, tomorrow. (Juha H.)

A lone candle at sunset. ( Juha H.)

Sini admiring a rekipeitto (= blanket to cover you with while traveling in a horse-sleigh in Winter...). This particular rekipeitto was made by my great-great grandmother. (Juha H.)

Takaisin

Last night I began and today in the evening finished recording, mixing and working with my composition Takaisin (=Return). Sini sang it and I did everything else. The whole turned out quite nicely - though the music itself sounds and feels a bit somber. Sorrowful music of never returning back to were we come from...

Juha H.

Eero Lahti's violin hanging on the wall of an old log-house in Sumiainen. I took the photo yesterday while Pasunapelimannit were having a break in the middle of the their jam-session. (Juha H.)

Pasunapelimannit

Pasunapelimannit had a nice and longish jamsession in Sumiainen. Finnish Folk Music, Christmas carols and jazz, of course. Everything was relaxed and everyone was in hilarious mood. And on top of this all there was some very tasty food to eat.

Lately I've written - on paper - quite alot of music. Hope I'd soon have time to record some of it into Pro Tools.

After so many dark and somber days light has returned - the ground is covered with snow.

Machine Men filmed a video in Helsinki today- one song, Giant, from their forthcoming CD The Shadow Gallery.

Juha H.

Used match on snow. (Juha H.)

Red drops and some paint... (Juha H.)

Hoikkaset

Ensemble Hoikkaset played a gig for local veterans of the II WW. Mostly Christmas carols. And good food, of course. Nice, relaxed and easy.

In the evening some photo manipulating. And playing domra, of course.

Juha H.

Domra

Today I bought me four-stringed domra. And what a wonderful instrument it is! It's tuned like a mandolin but the sound of the domra is somehow clearer and cleaner. After playing for some hours my fingertips are a bit sore.

Mixed my composition Siniharmaa (=Blue-grey). Nice.

Juha H.

Hoikkaset Trio

Hoikkaset as a trio had a gig. We were Eero Lahti (violin and domra), Reijo Korhonen (accordion) and JH (flute). Nice little performance of Christmas carols and folk music. There was only one a bit annoying thing - not enough light to read the music properly. But that's the way it goes sometimes while performing LIVE.

But what is domra? It's a sort of Russian mandolin with only four strings.

Had time to to begin to mix my composition Siniharmaa (=Blue-grey). A couple of hours work behind and some still ahead.

Juha H.

Strange creature. (Juha H.)

Musaa

Daniel Barenboim is conducting RIGHT NOW West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in Finnish television. It sounds quite good. Why can't it be this way all the time in the Middle East?

Rain goes on and continues its pouring... I've been working with my music - recorded some tracks of percussions for my composition Siniharmaa (=Blue-grey).

Juha H.

Foam and all on the beach of Lake Keitele. (Juha H.)

No ice - no winter. (Juha H.)

Pasunat keikalla

Pasunapelimannit played a nice gig in Sumiainen at the Festives of Independence Day of Finland. We performed with a small male choir and then played some old-time instrumental music - from the era of the WW2.

Mixed Jouko Takala's song Peli (=game). And began working with his composition Valkeat valheet (=White Lies)...

All evening - lots and lots of photo editing. And the rain goes on and on...

Juha H.

Last remnants of ice. Photo I took a couple of days ago. The ice-cover of Lake Keitele has all melted away... ( Juha H.)

Sateinen maanantai

A few days ago the recording project of Jouko Takala's music was cancelled. During the weekend the cancellation got cancelled. So now we're back in business. That's nice. Today I finally had the time to continue working with Jouko's music. So I recorded some more percussions for his composition Peli (= Game). Tomorrow I'll try to mix the whole...

During the day - lots of photo editing. And the rain keeps on pouring.

Juha H.

Pasunat

Pasunapelimannit had a longish rehearsal. Some gigs coming. And there was a choir, too. We're going to perform with some singers.

Warm weather prevails... Weird winter

Juha H.

Everything is so bleak - no snow, no winter. Scene from my backyard. (Juha H.)

Nukuttaa

Right now I'm absolutely tired. Working for the whole week is taking its toll...

Right now J-V is working as a guitar-technique- man for Hanoi Rocks...

Juha H.