One finds oneself, with a curious tilt of the head and a sharpened ear, immersed in an evening not merely of music, but of spirited discourse between sound and soul. Our host and modest maestro, Juhani Nuorvala, emerges as a veritable conjuror of frequencies — an artist-cum-curator, commentator-cum-performer — leading us through the labyrinthine delights of what the estimable lady next to me at the event dubbed "intelligent music.” Indeed, a sobriquet that fits as snugly as fine gloves on nimble fingers.

In the brutalist Avanti Hall of Kaapelitehdas, rhythms throbbed and danced, pirouetted and plunged; at moments they cavorted with the abandon of a bacchanal, at others, they lulled us into languorous reverie — akin to a dream caught on the cusp of dawn. The banquet was rich, the fare composed and chosen by Nuorvala himself from a cadre of worthy accomplices: Kate Moore, Alex Freeman, Tom Johnson, Ilari Kaila, and Julia Wolfe — a savvy swarm of sound-smiths.

Compositions

One can only be epigrammatic and sly when commenting on Nuorvala’s stunningly composed and many-formed sonic colours, rhythms, and sly commentary. Composer and host — the two-hatted man, magically bobbing and weaving — held the evening together. A detailed list of works and workings appears below this bit of verbiage. Nuorvala skilfully shaped his handpicked janissary works. Let’s have a big hand for Nuorvala’s hand.

Kate Moore’s witty “Zomer,” a piano piece in Nuorvala’s choreography, like a reverse Haydn Farewell Symphony, graciously opened the invisible curtain. Nuorvala’s “Ein Ballhaus in Berlin” (for viola and harp) is a vivid movie for the mind, one musical scene after another. Nuorvala’s “Toivo” is a roundup with the ensemble spinning off his keyboard antics.

Let’s admire the prehensile Julia Wolfe’s piano piece “Earring,” giving new meaning to the historic quip — one hand does not know what the other hand is doing.

Alex Freeman’s “Slow All Clocks,” is a piano piece with exquisite diatonic colours that charmed us and slowed the clocks as promised.

N's “Elégie pour Julie,” is solemn, sorrowful sax. His “Concertino,” is crafty saxophone dances. Both pieces with their soundtracks are connecting to the mathematical memorial performance of Tom Johnson’s Kientzy Loops. It’s a winding ostinato saxophone ribbon — sequenced recorded notes live-painted on alto and baritone saxophone.

Let’s poke Ilari Kaila with a teasing take on his post-minimalism, as one hapless soul rubricated, featuring two movements from the piano suite “Taonta”. Soup to nuts? Actually, nuts to soup, laced with whipped cream virtuosity.

N's “Pianotarha,” ensemble and soundtrack, dances between limits. His Beat “Routes” exceeds limits and has us grooving in the gloaming as all winds up in N's Encore: “Talli” from his 1990s electronica trio Nazal Snax. What a groove!

Thus was spun an evening that, like a fine vintage wine or a compelling novel, mingled the cerebral with the visceral, the tuneful with the thoughtful. Nuorvala’s Rhythm & Reverie was more than a concert — it was a sparkling gathering of minds, hands, and fingers, all bound by the invisible threads of sound and brilliance.

Performers

Bespectacled and, tonight, without his canine companion, Nuorvala offered witty commentary and, in the encore, a spectacular electric keyboard solo à la Keith Emerson on acid, surpassing his mischievous menu of twinkling brain ticklers.

Light-fingered Emil Holmström never lost his cool as a seriously casual man of keys, with at times Herculean tasks. Elegant yet merry Päivi Severeide, on electrified harp, has a remarkably refined pluck, balancing articulation and colour like a coin on its side. A playful nod to Jussi Tuhkanen’s artistry on viola — elegance with phrasing and subtle colour control by breathtakingly delicate bowing.

Let’s seriously admire Anna-Sofia Anttonen, on soprano, alto, and baritone saxophones — separately, although no doubt she could do a Pharoah Sanders multi. She displayed impeccable tone and level matching while driving her soundtrack like a rally driver. The spirited and jovial Tuomo Lassila on electric drums knocked your socks off — if you wore any. You’d wiggle your toes to his infectious rhythms and changing colours.

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CONCERT SPEC

Avanti!-klubi — Juhani Nuorvala, Rhythm & Reverie
13.9.2025 Kaapelitehdas, Avanti – Helsinki. Finland

Musicians:

Juhani Nuorvala, piano, keyboards, ContinuuMini
Emil Holmström, piano, keyboard
Päivi Severeide, electric harp
Jussi Tuhkanen, viola
Anna-Sofia Anttonen, saxophones
Tuomo Lassila, vibrafone, electric drums
Anders Pohjola, sound 

Programme:

Kate Moore (AUS / NL): Zomer (piano piece, in Nuorvala's arrangement where all the musicians took part and joined one by one)
Juhani Nuorvala (FIN): Ein Ballhaus in Berlin (viola and harp)
1. Die Erinnerungen
2. Walzer
3. Tango
4. Blues
5. Andante amoroso
6. Fantasie über 'Das Modell' ('Das Modell' is a 1978 disco track by the techno band Kraftwerk)
Nuorvala: Toivo for open instrumentation and soundtrack (everyone took part, I played the melody on the ContinuuMini)
Julia Wolfe (US): Earring 
Alex Freeman (US/FIN): Slow All Clocks (piano)
Nuorvala: Elégie pour Julie (sax and soundtrack)
Nuorvala: Concertino (sax and soundtrack)

intermission

Tom Johnson (US/FR): Kientzy Loops (saxes and soundtrack). Dedicated to Johnson’s memory.
Ilari Kaila (FIN/HK): Two movements from the piano suite Taonta
Nuorvala: Pianotarha (keyboard, piano, harp, vibes, soundtrack)
Nuorvala: Beat Routes (electric drums, bass synth)

Encore: Talli from the repertoire of Nuorvala’s 1990s electronica trio Nazal Snax, written by John Vihervä, their bassist who missed this performance because he was on a rock gig. 

The soundtrack of Nuorvala’s Concertino was made in collaboration with Vihervä.

Morrow is an American composer, sound artist and podcaster based in Finland.

Featured photo: Robin Lindeberg

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