Naissoo Freeform Quintet

Naissoo Freeform Quintet stands as one of the most inspired jazz releases out of Estonia in recent years, led by celebrated keyboardist and composer Tõnu Naissoo. Recorded in Tallinn during a pair of spontaneous sessions, the album showcases a group whose collective intuition produces a sound that’s at once deeply rooted in funk and jazz histories but fearlessly open to new directions.​ The quintet itself unites some of Estonia’s most accomplished improvisers. Tõnu Naissoo shapes the ensemble’s harmonic landscape through his sophisticated work on Rhodes, Moog Source, and ARP Odyssey, blending cosmic synth textures with lyrical, melodic flourishes.

On electric and double bass, Mihkel Mälgand supplies both groove and melodic depth, adapting his touch to the shifting terrain of the ensemble’s explorations. Meelis Vind amplifies the palette with the resonant bass clarinet, stretching the group’s timbral range and supporting ventures into freer, atmospheric territory.​ The rhythm section is completed by Karl-Juhan Laanesaar on drums, whose dynamic, fluid style anchors the quintet’s intricate interplay, and Kristjan Jõemägi on percussion, expanding the ensemble’s rhythmic vocabulary with a broad array of textures. The chemistry among these musicians is palpable - their rapport enables a seamless flow between tightly arranged ideas and spontaneous collective improvisation. Across the album, listeners encounter a dialogue between structure and freedom, melody and abstraction. The Naissoo Freeform Quintet succeeds not only as a showcase of individual virtuosity but as a genuine, collaborative unit pushing Estonian jazz into rich, uncharted territory.​