Taco Bells With Pekka Airaksinen

Do you know Taco Bells? You should. The trio of Sami Pekkola (tenor sax), Tero Kemppainen (double bass) & Jaakkoo Tolvi (drums) have been tearing up their homeland of Finland & the rest of Europe for some time now…pushing their Albert Ayler inspired sound upon suspecting and unsuspecting crowds. Their energy and ferocity is unparalleled, their telepathic communication is seamless & their sound is pure ecstatic joy.

Taco Bells have released a handful of LPs as well as multiple tapes since 2007 that find them challenging free jazz & sound…all three musicians have also made names for themselves across Europe in other groups such as Mohel, Kemialliset Ystavat, Rauhan Orkesteri & Jooklo Finnish Quartet among others. and Taco Bells have also been known for adding guest musicians live & on recordings, from Dylan Nyoukis, Martin Kuchen, Mette Rasmussen & Stuart Arnot among others. For this unbelievably special release Taco Bells features an incredible guest in Pekka Airaksinen (Finnish avant music pioneer, “One Point Music,” THE SPERM, etc). An excerpt below from the liner notes included as a special insert with the tape written by Scott McDowell (The Long Rally/WFMU):

“Ultimately this is a set of music full of revelations. Side A begins with Pekka dictating the flow with dancing Glockenspiel-like tones, in duo exchange with Jaakko, until the remaining members join in, the energy gradually surging. One can hear a period of discovery dissipating into fruitful communication. A surprising regular pulse emerges, almost Latin in flavor, before quickly dissolving like a mirage. The B-side opens with Sami on assault, with full-on Frank Lowe and Peter Brotzmann vibrations, chopping against the piano. Halfway through Pekka assumes command, manipulating the Taco Bells foundation with a cascade of notes and icy piano clusters. The group is not content to stand still. Searching, always searching. Mental Alaska is not just in the mind. Mental Alaska is real.”