Finnish indie folk artists Tuomo & Markus have joined forces with legendary guitarist Marc Ribot on a new song titled “Waiting Room.” It marks the first offering from the duo’s upcoming album, comprised solely of cinematic instrumental pieces recorded and mixed in immersive Dolby Atmos. The newly released track, which can be heard below, also features Nordic jazz trumpet virtuoso Verneri Pohjola.
Essentially a 1970s jazz-funk track with some Afrobeat grooves also heavily in the mix, “Waiting Room” finds the Finnish musicians taking a left turn and exploring the urban jazz scenes of Lower East Side NYC. Tuomo & Markus ditch their typical vocal harmonies while Marc Ribot provides the spoken word-like vocals along with his signature guitar play. As a result, the song has strong a coffee house Jazz Night vibe to it.
“’Waiting Room’ was originally just a studio jam number, built around a bluesy, slightly Tuareg-sounding guitar riff,” Tuomo & Markus recall. “It wasn’t really until Marc entered the studio that we found a sense of purpose for the track. His amazing intensity and willingness to jump into the deep end turned it from a jam to a gem.”
Keyboard player Tuomo Prättälä’s sound is inspired by the sounds of a vintage Vox Continental organ (similar to the one used by Ethiopian music pioneer Mulatu Astatke) while Verneri Pohjola adds unorthodox live effect treatments to “Waiting Room” on trumpet. The two drummers – Juho Viljanen and Jaska Lukkarinen – lay down a steady West African groove, together with bass player Jeremias Ijäs and rhythm guitarists Markus Nordenstreng and Miikka ‘McGyver’ Paatelainen. It all combines to give the song a spirited underlying groove with heavy international flavoring that drives the tune along.
Tuomo & Markus’ most recent album, Game Changing, was released to critical acclaim in January 2023 and focused heavily on apocalyptic lyrics, psychedelia, indie folk jangles and multi-layered Laurel Canyon harmonies. Its predecessor, Dead Circles (2018) was more of an Americana affair, as the duo held court in a recording studio in Tucson AZ, backed by their friends from Calexico and Wilco. They’ve also been compared to The Grateful Dead by noted music writer David Fricke for their ability to shift from one musical genre to the next without blinking an eye, while sounding totally unique.
