LANDMARK - REMASTERED EXPANDED EDITION
by Mika Pohjola with Miguel Zenón, Ben Monder

Featuring MikaSonik with guest background vocals by Johanna Grüssner, Landmark was recorded in Helsinki, Finland (and Grüssner in New York) and released in 2002, the album presents original compositions that combine contemporary jazz with elements of fusion, classical music, and irregular meters.

The repertoire consists primarily of extended compositions that balance written material with improvisation. Rather than following conventional jazz forms, many pieces develop through changing sections, shifting time signatures, and interaction between the ensemble members.

The title track opens with an ostinato in 5/4 before expanding into a dialogue between guitar and saxophone. Other compositions include Future Apparent, Young in the 80s, Now Came to Us, Movements in Style, Ballad About Something, which forms the centerpiece of the album.

Landmark documents Mika Pohjola's compositional approach during the early 2000s, emphasizing ensemble writing as much as improvisation. Many of the compositions later became part of the group's live repertoire and appear in different interpretations on the companion live album Still Alive.

http://landmark.bluemusicgroup.com