Ismo Alanko stripped down, still strong
During his long career Ismo Alanko has performed in more than a few configurations. The audience at Friday’s Sulo club were treated to a rather minimalistic version, consisting of only Alanko and Teho Majamäki at percussions. Together they set out to prove that small things can be great.
This might’ve not been Ismo’s greatest gig ever, but at their best the two men created truly wonderful music. Majamäki worked his exotic drumset playing mostly melodies but at times dropping back into pure rhythm section mode. Alanko switched between the guitar, the piano and pure singing. The gig’s highlights included Tällä tiellä, an melancholic song from the times of his first band, Hassisen Kone; Rakkaudesta, a beautiful song by Sielun veljet (known as L’amourder outside Finnish borders); and Kun Suomi putos puusta, the first song of Ismo’s now long and fruitful solo career.
The song repertoire ranged from early Hassisen Kone through L’amourder to Alanko’s solo recordings. The minimalistic arrangements were instantly recognizable, but they did eat away at some of the fastest numbers’ energy. On the other hand this approached allowed Ismo’s remarkable voice to really shine. Considering he’s been performing for more than 25 years, his singing voice is simply astounding. It has range and scale that many singers start to lose as they grow older.
Words & translation: Olli Sulopuisto
Pics: Tomi Palsa