Martti Vesala Soundpost Quintet plays trumpeter Vesala’s original compositions. The quintet’s seamlessly honed ensemble, along with the tremendous solo skills of its players, transport the listener to another reality. Together they combine the rhythmic language of modern jazz with elements from Nordic jazz and improvised music into a fresh and exciting soundscape of their own, with each note reaching toward an uncharted horizon.
“Pendulum” is the fourth album from Martti Vesala Soundpost Quintet and the group’s first release for Mustik Motel Music, released October 15th 2026. Nine new compositions by trumpeter and composer Martti Vesala, performed with the long-running lineup of:
Martti Vesala – trumpet, fluegelhorn
Petri Puolitaival – saxophones, flutes
Joonas Haavisto – piano, keyboards
Juho Kivivuori – bass
Ville Pynssi – drums
The opening title track introduces the album’s central idea: the pendulum swing of history. It reflects the idea that history, cultural trends, and politics tend to move in cycles, swinging back and forth between extremes until a tipping point is reached and the momentum shifts in another direction.
Written in a period marked by global challenges, the music carries the hope that the weight of time will return toward calmer ground. “Ancient Sunlight” takes its title from Thom Hartmann’s book on the use of fossil fuels and considers humanity’s future energy supply. “Sands of Time” follows time’s drift toward less stormy waters. “This Is For Wayne” is a tribute to Wayne Shorter, a recurring guiding figure in Vesala’s writing. The closing piece, “High Hopes,” is an optimistic gesture toward brighter times.
The repertoire also marks a step toward a more modern sound for the quintet. Vesala utilizes the modular synth and processed trumpet sounds, Puolitaival brings out the alto flute, and Haavisto leans further into the Rhodes. Contemporary touchstones behind the writing include bassist and composer Linda May Han Oh and trumpeter Dave Douglas. Jack Kerouac’s prose sits in the background as a literary spark.
The group released three albums on the German Ozella Music: Helsinki Soundpost (2016), Stars Aligned (2018) and Landmarks (2022). The releases earned reviews from DownBeat, Finnish Music Quarterly, JazzThing and JazzThetik, and Helsingin Sanomat awarded Landmarks four stars.
“Finland’s Martti Vesala Soundpost Quintet excels at sophisticated acoustic interplay.” Howard Mandel, DownBeat Oct 2018
”★★★★” Harri Uusitorppa, review on Helsingin Sanomat Nov 16th 2022
“Nothing can be taken for granted on this third album from the Martti Vesala Soundpost Quintet. Each member is brilliant soloist, but they are also a supreme team totally in the groove with Vesala’s compositional visions, his exquisite soundworld and that fiery passion for music.” Fiona Talkington / Finnish Music Quarterly Nov 15th 2022
”Dem klassischen akustischen Modern Jazz neue Facetten abzugewinnen, ist eine Aufgabe, dem sich das Soundpost Quintet des finnischen Trompeters und Flügelhornisten Martti Vesala seit Jahren widmet.” Rolf Thomas Jazzthing Nov 12th 2022