Pekka Tegelman & Quartegel
The quartet Pekka Tegelman & Quartegel consists of Pekka Tegelman on electric/acoustic guitars and keyboards, Markku Qunaskari on drums, Manuel Dunkel on sax, and Tero Siitonen on double bass. The new release features an interesting take on jazz-fusion, with well written songs, free flowing improvisation and seasoned execution. Pekka was the original guitarist of the popular mid-70's band Finnforest, which released two highly acclaimed albums during that time. Pekka has worked in the past with other well known Finnish musicians such as: Pekka Pohjola, Jarmo Savolainen, Jukka Tolonen and more. I discussed the new album with Pekka, as well as his flourishing career.
R.V.B - Congratulations on your new CD Pekka Tegelman & Quartegal. It has a nice fluent sound and puts one in a relaxing state of mind. What kind of vibe did you wish to achieve with this release?
P.T. - Thank You! Well, as all my music is based on my own curiosity, I want to hear certain things and then, when I get it down to paper, if I’m lucky, I’ll get some musicians to play it. If I’ll manage to get the stuff publicized, in a form or another, I’m only too happy, if somebody wants to hear it, and extremely happy if they happen to like it! That’s the basic vibe…
R.V.B. - How did the writing process progress with this collection? Did you have the nine track ideas finalized and then start the process, or did you have basic ideas and then work then out as a unit in the studio?
P.T. - I had the music ready. Some new and fresh from the drawing board, but then also few things slightly older material... dating as far as 25 years ago. With our budget and time available, you don’t actually rehearse and experiment in the studio. Though, when I did the additional overdubs in Nevermind Ranch - as well the mixing - I had the luxury of doing and fitting in some keyboard and guitar stuff that wasn’t before planned, just by listening to the basic tracks and getting the feeling…
R.V.B. - Can you give me a brief description of the people that helped out on instrumentation on this release and your history with them?
P.T. - Markku Ounaskari is the drummer, and I’ve first worked with him in the beginning of 90’s. He’s played with many... Dave Liebman, Anders Jormin, Per Jorgensen among others, and nowadays divides his time between Finland, Norway and rest of the Europe. The bass-player Tero Siitonen is a man of many coats. He has worked from straight punk- outfits to free jazz, and all between. Sax-man Manuel Dunkel is of the same generation (I myself, like, older generation…) as Ounaskari and Tero, and has lead, and leads his own bands, as well played in UMO, the legendary and famous Finnish big band.
R.V.B. - Where did you record this record and can you describe the setting of the studio inside and outside? How did this setting affect the recording?
P.T. - We did the basic recording in E-Studio, Helsinki It used to be formerly “Soundtrack” - in the analog times - when it was used by record companies for every kind of music and band, but especially suitable for large string and woodwind sessions, because of the space available. Built in an old movie theatre, it had some great spacious rooms and good natural acoustics for the music. Because of some difficulties relating to the age of the building - from the 60’s - they now moved to a new location.
R.V.B. - I understand your brother helped out with the mixing and mastering of the album, as well as helped out on a few tunes. How does your relationship with him as a brother and as a colleague in the business enhance the sound?
P.T. - Jussi was in charge of mixing and mastering, I was merely laying out my hopes an suggestions. Nevermind Ranch Studio is his home base, where he can do his own projects. His bigger movie-related activities are normally done in big companies... Sony and other studios. That’s of course because they rarely let the material outside their premises. For the history, Jussi left to States in the beginning of 90’s, so we did not after that actually work together until I made the “Bound”- album with Kulumo in 2010... which was also mixed and mastered with Jussi. On this new record, when working on the material, we noticed that the song “Time to Time “ could use some extra punch, so Jussi played second drum set to the track. Worked fine. Jussi is a fine musician and composer and seasoned producer, so all these sides, beside mixing, benefit the final outcome of the production, to put it mildly…
R.V.B. - In the inside of the CD there is what looks to be an inner city scene with a giant ferris wheel. Is there a message of any kind that you are trying to convey here?
P.T. - All the images are in some way related to the overall feeling of the music... they are scenes from different places, like music is a scene in time. Although an image in a photo is still, it is still moving, in our thoughts. Time to time, that is. (The photo mentioned is from Manchester, England)
R.V.B. - What drew you into the world of music?
P.T. - Music was always around. Our father was, and is an amateur musician, played gigs (in 50’s,the bands were jazz bands that played dance music... five hours an evening. Normally, the first hour was dedicated to “pure” jazz... to get bread to the table. In those days he was studying to be an architect, which he actually became. So me and my brother played with him, from the beginning. Also the there was a big record collection of all styles, from classical to jazz. They were all in heavy rotation, so there was actually no difference between the attitude towards different genres... Beatles, Beethoven, or even Coltrane.
R.V.B. - Who were your early influences of guitar players? Did you receive a formal music education or learn to play on your own?
P.T. - Of course, as a kid, The Beatles were a big influence, because they played guitars. But then came Rolling Stones, with different guitar sounds. The first guitar player that caught my ear as guitarist must have been Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac. M1 visited Finland in late 60’s and we heard them through YLE, Finnish Broadcasting System. But as Hendrix came along with the Experience, all changed quite rapidly. The effect was somewhat total. Later, of course John McLaughlin was a big influence. But, Hendrix has still a big impact. Largely because of his writing, combined with his guitar work. Those two are inseparable.
R.V.B - Tell me about your first paying gig ever? How did it go?
P.T. - I think we played a youth club in Kuopio (middle of Finland, where we lived at the time), with a trio called “Lex”. Me, my brother Jussi, and a bass player Lassi Seppänen, who was couple of years older than we. We were about 13 years of age and our band had two songs... Frank Zappa’s “Willie the Pimp” and the other was a mixture of some themes of our own. Each song had a duration of about 40 minutes, so there you had a compact two- set gig. Got paid some 50 Finnish Marks, think. Would be today about same in euros. To be split in three ways... Big money.
R.V.B. - What are some of your live performance highlights?
P.T. - The last gig played is always the highlight.
R.V.B. - Did anything unusual ever happen at a gig?
P.T. - Actually, after our (Finnforest) got out in the spring 1975, we were gigging during the summer, in Finnish dance places in the country side, along with another band that was topping the bill. We were also part of that band, so we got to play our own set, before the main show. That was actually for the people who came to dance and have good time. Most of the organizers were so greedy, that when they were told that they would get two bands with the cost of one, (that was the deal) they took the opportunity, without checking our musical “nature, beforehand. So, for example, in one place in central Finland, we began to play, and after about 23 seconds you could see the terrified manager running from the ticket counter ( located outside the “fun-building”), shouting: “Stop, Stop!”. You see, the local punters and other potential ticket buyers used to hang outside the festive-area, in their cars, checking out what was happening, what kind of chicks went in for example, and if they should hear some weird, otherworldly (from their world…) noise from the inside, they’d rapidly step on it and head for the next possible place of mating... which in those days wouldn’t be far away. The young artist (we…) felt a somewhat noticeable lack of appreciation in the air. But, as they say, what doesn’t kill you, educates you. Or not. Probably not.
R.V.B. - The band "Finnforest"... How did you enjoy the years from 1975 to 1979? That was a very creative time period in the music world.
P.T. - We made two records together “Finnforest ” and “LähtöMatkalle”... (Jussi made the third “Demonnights”. I was around, but Jussi was the boss) and played number of gigs. I’m happy with all those records, but for myself, I felt little trapped in the somewhat stale “prog”-idiom, so I purposely began to seek opportunities to work with vocalists, to broaden the palette of expression, so to say. Then, 80’s and 90’s were different, but the instrumental music was always with me, more or less.
R.V.B - How has your guitar and amp gear evolved through the years?
P.T. - Well, I’ve had different gear, amp and guitars. They’ve come and gone, could have saved few guitars, but at the time one needed the money. The only thing that I regret is that of losing a Vox top with a separate cabin, that I had in 70’s. I replaced it with a Peavey combo amp (that brand was heavily marketed in music magazines), that was supposed to have many great sounds (I believed the ad…) Actually it had none. Instead it had tens of knobs. The Vox amp did have one sound, which was absolutely great….
R.V.B. - I'm a person who is from Long Island, New York, Can you give me a little history on how the jazz/fusion genre came about in Finland?
P.T. - In the late 60’s, the bands like Wigwam and Tasavallan Presidentti, who were combining pop music with jazz influences, like lot of bands in England and USA, were a big influence on everybody who was wanting to become a “serious” rock-musician in Finland. That generated a lot of activity and bands. And there were also lots of interest from the record companies to produce and publish music from that field, especially from the legendary Love Records. But there were also many others... when they noticed that there was demand for that kind of music . The scene was very active, as long as it was, but it died of natural causes (lack of interest, boredom etc.), in the beginning of eighties. Some musicians continued with jazz, some moved to pop music, some to classical.
R.V.B - Do you ice skate? How is the National Hockey team looking for the upcoming Olympics? The skiers and bobsledders also?
P.T. - Actually I don’t skate, anymore. Did play ice hockey younger. Did like the game, when it was more about skill and less violence…
R.V.B - What accomplishments are you proud of in your career?
P.T. - To be around and functional, to be able to play and make music, with some great and astounding musicians, that is a thing that I consider an accomplishment. And of course “to enjoy every sandwich”, as late great Warren Zevon did put it (“Carpe diem” in punter-lingo…). Can’t beat that.
R.V.B - Congratulations on your career. What's on the horizon?
P.T. - Material for the next “Quartegel”- album is ready. But, first I (with my wife) have to raise and find homes for five britcat- kittens, they were born the day before Christmas. Kitten, anyone?
Thank You Rob!
Interview conducted by Robert von Bernewitz
This interview may not be reproduced in any part or form without permission from this site.
Special thanks to Robert Silverstein.
For more information on Pekka Tagelman & Quartegel visit the Facebook page.
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Nice music, nice memories
Simppu and Heikki
Posted by: Heikki tegelman | 01/25/2019 at 08:30 AM