Olli Ahvenlahti, in 1981 with Based on a Novel, plus the others

This pianist who I mentioned in connection with Jazz-Liisa is well known for his mid-70s ECM-like fusion albums The Poet (1976) and Bandstand (1975), but this 1981 release I felt was his best with its interesting depth and the wide range of its emotions and it's much less known.  So here it is.

From discogs:

Born 6 August 1949, Olli Ahvenlahti, a pianist, composer, and conductor, has been one of the leading Finnish Jazz artists since the 70s. He has recorded with several artists and groups, like UMO Jazz Orchestra.

Actually he also appeared in Unisono, Jukka Hauru and Superkings (remember?), Mircea Stan Quintet (from the Jazz-Liisa collection), and The Group, the famous Pekka Pohjola project.  (Hey I forgot about Pohjola, the best of all Finnish composers, in connection with the Pop-Liisa / Jazz-Liisa.)

The sweet composition of Chorale:





And the phenomenal title track:





Note the expressiveness of the theme played on bass flute (by our beloved Aaltonen!).  A beautiful novel indeed, dark and tragic but full of heart.

Finally, the next album after this one is a vocal slightly pop inflected album with presumably lyrics by the great writer and Nobel prizewinner (along with Bob Dylan) Hermann Hesse.  I include it for 'completeness' sake.