The concept of ‘Symphonic Jazz’ was launched by Paul Whiteman at the Aeolian Hall on 12 February, 1924. Today that concert is remembered for one thing only, the premiere of ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, the defining event of the Jazz Age and of the cultural history of New York City. Whiteman recorded an abridged version of ‘Rhapsody’ in 1924, and again in 1927, this one totalling 8 minutes 46 seconds. Over the years there have been many recordings, some of which have strayed from Gershwin’s original concept, as the score has increased in length, and the version played here by Rantala and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen clocks in at 17 minutes 22 seconds. It is attributed to Ferde Grofe, who orchestrated the original version in collaboration with Gershwin and contains subtle surprises of orchestration as well as “creative modifications” from Rantala, the merits of which is a whole debate in itself. Having set the scene with ‘Rhapsody’, the album plunges deeper into the Symphonic Jazz concept with the Gershwin’s ‘Porgy and Bess Suite’ and five compositions by Rantala and orchestrated by Oliver Groenewald of varying moods – including a nod of approbation to the Finnish tango – culminating in what is perhaps the most interesting of Rantala’s compositions, ’Hard Score’.