RYTMI 6/2004 LEENA ISBOM
Translated by Tuija Modinos
Original review in Finnish (jpg, 154 Kb)

Timo Pratskin : update
(Rubato Music)

Multifarious

Timo Pratskin, a keyboard player known from various bands and for his various styles, has composed all the pieces on this record, and also produced it. His co-players include guitarist Varre Vartiainen, bassist Jaan Wessman and drummer-percussionists Leevi Leppänen and Anssi Nykänen.

The sounds of the first tracks on the record remind me to an extent of the 1970s' super bands such as Weather Report and Steps Ahead, although on Pratskin's record saxophone has been replaced with Varre Vartiainen's magnificently playing guitar. Later the music shifts from the 1970s' fusion to the grooving organ sounds, pieceful, tuneful tracks and to a very Finnish language of melodics and rhythm. This record shows the versatility of Pratskin as a composer.

Everbody on the record plays magnificently, but Vartiainen and Pratskin come across as the ones playing the key roles. In spite of the various styles included in the record it is a unified whole, but on the other hand the overall impression of the record is perhaps a bit one sided.