Helsinki quartet Alder Ego, led by drummer/composer Joonas Leppänen, returns with their new album "III" on 9 April on We Jazz Records. A follow up to their successful 2018 We Jazz album, "III" finds Leppänen and his bandmates extracting more depth and punch out of their tenor sax + trumpet + double bass + drums setup, which echoes the greats in the game, such as Ornette Coleman, yet adds a readily identifiable edge to it all. Leppänen's writing is evolving, becoming more and more of a signature of the band and sounding delightfully angular yet easily flowing. On "III", Alder Ego features Leppänen on drums, Jarno Tikka (of OK:KO) on tenor sax, Tomi Nikku (of Bowman Trio) on trumpet and the new addition Nathan Francis on bass.

Kicking off with a key track introducing the band's deep sound, "Love And Maladies", "III" moves through a sonic landscape which is constantly surprising yet identifiable as Alder Ego guided by Leppänen's musical vision at all times. This is true even during moments when the composer himself steps aside, namely in the Tikka–Nikku duo cut "Impermanence" and Nathan Francis's highly memorable solo outing "Nathan's World".

The album's many highlights include singles "November Ghost" and "I Saw It In a Dream", plus the stunning closing track "Ephemeral", featuring Natalia Castrillon on harp.

Joonas Leppänen, drums / Tomi Nikku, trumpet / Jarno Tikka, tenor saxophone / Nathan Francis, bass
with Natalia Castrillón on lever harp (on "Ephemeral")
Composed by Joonas Leppänen except "Impermanence" by Jarno Tikka and Tomi Nikku, "Nathan's World" by Nathan Francis
Produced by Joonas Leppänen and Matti Nives
Recorded and mixed by Joonas Saikkonen
Mastered by Jarno Alho
Band photos by Mathias Foster
Leaves photos by Henri Hämäläinen
Design by Matti Nives

TRACKLIST :

A1. Love And Maladies

A2. Impermanence

A3. La Nuit

A4. I Saw It In A Dream

B1. November Ghost

B2. The Gordian Knot

B3. Nathan’s World

B4. Ephemeral