Visions & Emotions
Reviewed By Janet Mawdesley August 22, 2018
Artist – Aleksandra Takala
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http:/www.aleksmusic.com
There are very few musicians that can contribute much of their skill to their Aunt Mable, but such is the case for Aleksandra Takala as her Aunt Mable, who took her to see ‘Hair’ back in the day, gave her an old player piano which did not even have the full 88 keys.
Piano lessons followed at $6.00 per lesson from a lady with a great love of the classics, which at the end of the year under her tuition saw Takala composing her first song. She was 25 years old when she was given that piano, had already some sad experience with life and love, and was beginning to commence a journey into the world of music that was to become her passion
That diverse background growing up is reflected in her music as she firmly believes that no matter what comes along in life, it never too late to begin something new.
Each of the songs has a back story such as World Traveller, written in tribute to her mother who finally got to live her dream of travelling outside of the States to such places as China, India and the Amazon River.
Passing Clouds is unashamedly at 10 minute song written in the studio where there are no clocks to remind of the passing of time, a place where freedom to let the music flow is as the passing of clouds in the sky, blown into new shapes and formations by unseen and heard winds.
A rather funky, ‘tongue-in-cheek’ tribute to the hurry up society of modern holiday makers is Road Trip (Hurry Up & Slow Down)which is a little something of which we are all guilty, on a so called leisurely holiday. Ah, the plans we all do make!
Groundwater is a dainty song reminiscent of the waltz, where it is very easy to relax into a time that was slower, more peaceful. It is a stately piece rich in strings, which was written to accompany a set of lyrics penned for Takala’s local choir, reflective of a commune in the forest, a campfire, with night fog slowly drifting in, winding around the base of the trees, settling along the ground; mystical and mysterious.
A Caribbean orchestra heralds in the final piece on this rather unusual, but very enjoyable collection of songs with Moonlight over Havana, a place rich in history, romantic liaisons and culture. A rich full moon, the exotic, atmosphere, of the tropics at night, the romance of a couple swaying together deeply in love, have been carefully and skilfully woven into the captivating finale.
In this her debut album, Takala has chosen to share her immense talent and many of her family stories, to create the tapestry that is Visons and Emotions. Different, enjoyable, intriguing and full bodied, Aleksandra Takala’s music covers a wide and diverse range of genres which offers something for everyone.