Jukka Perko

"The Earth, Spring’s Daughter is dramatic and gorgeously sounding. [-] Saivo elegantly combines contemporary aesthetics, associations to nature, and a mythological dimension."

Saxophonist Jukka Perko has taken his musical communication ideas into other fields of working life with successful lectures combining musical thinking and everyday workplace dynamics. Can listening to improvisation in music teach us something about working together and communicating?

Jukka Perko Tritone moves the onetime fierce music of Dizzy Gillespie to somewhat gentler realms, still not losing the original ideas and logics of the songs.

Progress is all about trying out new things, as every forward-thinking artist intrinsically knows. Nevertheless, a case could be made that it is not enough if only the vanguard embraces the unknown. Perhaps all could take a page out of Pepa Päivinen, Janne Tuomi and other open-minded musicians’ book.

2015 has been a milestone year for the 40-year-old UMO Jazz Orchestra. We invited three key figures to look back on the history of the internationally acclaimed big band.

The first decade of the 21st century witnessed a boom for hymns in Finland. Saxophonist Jukka Perko, one ofthe most fascinating stars in the country's jazz firmament decided to try his hand at recording his interpretations. How, why and what happened then?

" The repertoire, which includes 'Jealousy' by Jacob Gade, 'Stella by Starlight' and two versions of 'Finlandia', is executed masterfully. The musicians dig deep down into the grief of the Finnish soul, while still retaining some humour now and then."