Once again, Finnish-native Keijo Virtanen unloads another dirt-stained masterpiece. Over the past few years he has assembled a group of artists that have become known as the Free Players. Their collaborative efforts are like a clinic in improvisation. The interplay and spontaneity between them is epic. The Free Players often include members of Finnish free-jazz pawnpins Vapaa, as well as Kheta Hotem, Kundalini Snakes, and others. "After at Once" is the ensemble's first non-CDR release and finds them in top form.
The members of Vapaa play an integral role on "After at Once." Tiitus Petäjäniemi is especially key with his vocal wailings and incantantions. Tribal percussion and chromatic whimsy often puncuate Keijo's sarod-laden excursions through the mist. There's a heavy Indian influence on these recordings, stemming from Keijo's many trips its sub-continental shores. Musically, "After at Once" is spacious, but cohesive. With the addition of the sarod on these recordings, the music takes on a life of its own. As always, Keijo's hand guides the magic and in the end, it's still his world we're living in.