Jukka Tolonen

"Perhaps that’s Kämäräinen’s superpower: He manages to sound like a bandmember even when occupying the sonic space all by himself. What an absolute gem of a disc Timo Kämäräinen has come up with."

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.

The earthy tones of Pepa Päivinen’s saxophone are a cornerstone of Finnish jazz. To date [2003], the man has released three albums as a leader and made himself a name through various projects of differing sizes. He has performed for twenty years in the ranks of the UMO Jazz Orchestra and worked along the way with bandleaders like Jukka Tolonen, Edward Vesala and Anthony Braxton.

The story of the electric guitar is viewed through the inspiring work of three Finnish guitarists: Hasse Walli, Jukka Tolonen and Albert Järvinen.

The Helsinki Universal Guitar Festival features all the dimensions of six strings.