Verneri Pohjola - The Dead Don't Dream (2020) [CD-Rip]

Finnish trumpeter Verneri Pohjola is a tour de force, unquestionably a huge talent and a musician with a commanding and individual voice who is able to bring warmth and stillness to his playing as much as a vibrant intensity. His writing is strong and bold, adept at finding those hooky melodies that jump out at you as progressive, creative and individual. The Dead Don’t Dream is his fourth album on Edition and sixth in total. His recent offerings represent very different yet coherent albums. Bullhorn (2015) was entirely original and placed Verneri firmly on the European scene as the one to watch. Pekka in 2017 saw him interpreting his famous father’s music, bringing a rockier approach and electronics to the party. His latest, Animal Image, was a completely improvised duo with drummer Mika Kallio. Each of these albums challenged Verneri to reach further with his playing, and explore wider soundscapes.

His new album ‘The Dead Don’t Dream incorporates all three styles into one defined and beautifully crafted album. It takes the core band sound of the electric Pekka, features all original compositions and expresses them with the freedom and improvisation explored on Animal Image. On this album Verneri wanted to express both the wider range of sound that the use of electronics contributes, and the more open form and drama that comes from improvisation. This is an album that connects the work on his previous three albums with complete coherence, individualism and creativity.