Jukka Hauru ~ Finland

Information (1972)

---3/25/11

On Jukka Hauru's debut album, Information, there's no doubt the major influence here - one of Frank Zappa, especially of the Hot Rats era. The same motif is applied: Silly bits of humor, an almost academic approach to chamber jazz, and shredding early 70s bluesy wah-wah guitar like the master himself. Hauru proves to be an exceptional student, and this album is a no-brainer for fans of the style. 

---12/1/25

I first acquired this LP at the height of my deep diving into the European underground in the mid 90s, mail ordering records from there at a high rate. The review above represents my CDRWL blog listen. And now I'm hearing the album for only the 3rd time in 30 years, or close thereabouts. While making its debut into the UMR. No disagreements with my initial review. The album is inconsistent as noted above (mainly A3, B3, B5 and sections of A4), but for the most part Information is an excuse for Hauru to rip on the guitar. I like his nimble and jumpy playing style. A bit from the McLaughlin school with less focus. Saxophone is another instrument that receives quite a bit of airplay. "Jupu" Poutanen's violin is also very prominent, and it's clear he's an equal participant to Hauru for the recording. 

Ownership: 1972 Finnlevy (LP). Acquired in 1996.

1996; 3/25/11 (review); 12/1/25 (update)
 

Jukka Hauru & Superkings ~ Pop Liisa 02 (1973)

Finnish guitarist Jukka Hauru had two fine albums from the 70s (Information, Episode) before hanging up his music career for the writing pen. Both are still quite obscure due to a lack on any modern CD reissue (since rectified, albeit in small quantities). This all-instrumental live concert encapsulates perfectly the sound of both, most notably the raw and edgy Information. As I state on that review, it's quite apparent Hauru is influenced mightily by a one Frank Zappa, though for this live concert, the humor bits have been completely rubbed out. Other guideposts include Mahavishnu Orchestra and Weather Report.

In listening to this set, it probably would have been a better fit for the "Jazz Liisa" series. All the same, Hauru has just enough progressive rock sound and composition style to qualify for the genre. And one reason for this is violinist Juhani "Jupu" Poutanen, whose nickname would lead to another obscure band without a proper reissue: Jupu Group (also since reissued). A band that now also has a Pop Liisa concert available to purchase. Poutanen is one of the "Superkings", a made-up-on-the-spot moniker meant as a joke to counter the quintet being called by the local music press a "supergroup". So melodic and shredding violin with electric guitar define this kinetic set. It really is too bad Hauru called it a day, as he had some fiery chops to display. Keyboards and an agile rhythm section round out the ensemble.

Worth noting that opener 'Mai-Ling' appears to start in mid-jam form, but as it turns out, the first three minutes of the tape had been damaged, so they salvaged what they could. Also of note, both 'Twilight Time' and 'Angel' are previously unreleased tracks. 

Ownership: 2016 Svart (CD). Booklet with liner notes. With Tasavallan Presidentti (Pop Liisa 01). Acquired in 2016.

9/17/16 (review)

Also own: Episode; Pop Liisa 05

9/17/16 (new entry)

Mike's Top 30 Unreissued Titles (Part 5 of 6)

21. Jukka Hauru - Information (Reissued by Lipposen Levy Ja Kasetti 2021)

Finnish guitarist with a Jimi Hendrix complex, like many guitarists had worldwide in the early 70s and perhaps half of his debut album has the overshadowing influence during some high energy workouts. The other half ranges between more songwriter oriented spots and some zanier moments, all of which manage to create an "in hold" dynamic that makes the guitar freak outs even more powerful when they show up. My review can be found here.

22. Peter Frohmader - Jules Verne Cycle

The Jules Verne this most reminds me of is 20,000 Leagues under the Sea due to a prevalance of bubbling synths. As I mentioned before with Orakel/Tiefe, this is one of the Auricle cassette releases and a mighty fine one at that, with an amazingly huge sound for the format, layered electronics and some great pulses moving it all forwars. It reminds me that the finest thing about Frohmader during so much of his early work is this great sense of science fictional imagination, one that never manifests as something geeky so much as mysterious, unusual and evocative. Often this one surpasses Orakel/Tiefe for me, depending on mood.

23. Limbus 3 - Cosmic Music Experience

A free music ensemble better known for the Ohr label album Mandalas (by Limbus 4), I've always preferred the earlier work due to its more vast atmosphere and instrumental panorama. Something of a precursor of bands like Aktuala, Between and the like, in this case the same-period albums by Don Cherry might also be a reference although like Mandalas, it doesn't have much in the way of jazz chops. Just a lot of drumming, droning, and varying noises by all sorts of instruments, none of them played particularly splendid, but nonetheless a beautiful chaos does arise from the collaboration. For now only a Germanofon bootleg seems to exist (and it's actually one of the better ones soundwise).

24. Zanov - Green Ray (Reissued by Groove Unlimited 2016)

Debut album by French synthesist who manages to create a Berlin inspired electronic album with some of the thickest analog sounds on record thanks to the ARP 2600, VCS3 and the like. IIRC the Green Ray's one of those theosophy inspired ideas and a Jules Verne book, all named from the solar phenomenon where the sun temporarily gets a green flash around it during sunset or sunrise. This differs from the usual Berliner style by the sequences being fairly slight for the most part and for an unusual dark atmosphere to it. Similar in ways to Wolfgang Bock Cycles when it's not in Moondawn mode.

25. Mars Everywhere - Industrial Sabotage

Review here. Great US mix of space rock and electronic tendencies and their prime effort.