Bronislaw Kaper's "Invitation" closes Holger Marjamaa's 2019 album Mostly Standards with a high-energy performance that features two extended solos over the composition's demanding 48-bar ABA' form in C minor. Alto saxophonist Aleksander Paal takes the first three-chorus solo at a brisk 252 beats per minute, his playing combining rhythmic intensity with harmonic sophistication as he navigates the tune's challenging chord changes. Marjamaa follows with two commanding choruses of piano improvisation, the tempo having pushed even higher to 277 beats per minute, demonstrating his ability to maintain clarity and musical coherence at extreme velocities. "Invitation," composed in 1952 for the film A Life of Her Own, has long been a favorite of jazz musicians drawn to its exotic harmonic color and extended form, and this performance does full justice to its improvisational potential. The presence of Paal as a guest soloist adds a contrasting voice to the album, the alto saxophone's bright cutting tone complementing Marjamaa's more harmonically dense piano sound. As a closing track, "Invitation" provides a rousing conclusion to an album that has moved through a range of tempos, feels, and emotional states, ending on a note of unbridled swing and improvisational excitement.
