Live at the Blue Note

" This is one hell of a live record by a talent who deserves to record regularly for Blue Note as well as play the club." -- ALL MUSIC GUIDE "A stylist who possesses enormous chops, Pohjola delivers the goods in prominent fashion. Sparked by a skilled rhythm section, the pianist pronounces a highly literate jazz vernacular yet counterbalances some of the austere implications with buoyant interplay and airy lyricism that provides an indelible stamp of authenticity to this fine outing." -- DOWN BEAT "If you are a jazz piano listener who likes the intricate sounds of such artists as the late pianists, Art Tatum and Bill Evans, then this CD featuring Mika Pohjola will surprise and delight you with its lovely, oftentimes haunting melodies. It is evident that Mika Pohjola is destined for great things, simply by listening to these original compositions he created for this CD." -- JAZZ REVIEW " 'Live At The Blue Note' is a colorful representation of the artist and his music. Pohjola is a versatile and introspective musician that leaves you with a new found appreciation and respect for the genre. Pohjola is not one of the most well known pianist-composers, yet he holds his own with any tune he decides to mold and shape into his own. His commanding and provoking keyboards allow the other members of the group to stretch out musically, providing a breeding ground for improvisation. I applaud him for the intelligent use of original melodies. They all sound like well-known standards after just one listen. Simply, that's what makes this music so incredibly impressive. Mika Pohjola is an artist on the rise. Remember his name, it's sure to be more recognizable in the jazz community as his career progresses." --MUZIKMAN'S SOUND SCRIPT