OlliAhvenlahti-ThePoet2

The Poet, released by Love Records, is the second studio album by the Finnish pianist and keyboard legend Olli Ahvenlahti. Recorded in Stockholm’s Marcus Music Studio in 1976 with producer George Waldenius of Made In Sweden, the album is one of the most respected Finnish fusion jazz albums. The song Grandma’s Rocking Chair has become a genre-breaking classic. It can be found on many 90s acid jazz compilations, and various top DJs have famously edited it.

Ahvenlahti returned to The Poet for the first time in 2006, celebrating the album’s 40th anniversary in live concerts. In autumn 2022, Ahvenlahti returned to his classic and performed the album live at clubs in Tampere and Helsinki and the Porvoo Jazz Festival. The new material, which pays homage to the fusion jazz and funk of the original The Poet album, will be heard on Flow’s Balloon 360°. The album is planned to be recorded in the fall of 2023.

The band consists of Olli Ahvenlahti – Fender Rhodes, Jukka Eskola – trumpet, Joonatan Rautio – saxophone, Ville Herrala – bass, and Jaska Lukkarinen – drums.