Alder Ego is a quartet formed by Helsinki based drummer Joonas Leppanen. Leppanen and his Finnish bandmates demonstrate a fluid rapport right out the gate on “Leviathan”. Leppanen’s splashy cymbals create colorful soundscapes for Ilkka Uksila’s melodic vibes. Together they leave plenty of space for trumpeter Tomi Nikku and Saxophonist Jarno Tikka to stretch out. Uksila’s soft vibes massage the gorgeous soloing from Nikku on “Flight”. “Solitude” is another where Nikku and Tikka’s soloing dance around Teemu Akerblom’s subtle bass licks. This band doesn’t break any new ground but they excel with the freedom of superb compositions from Leppanen. As great as this recording sounds I bet they’re even better live. Now that would be a treat.
