Seppo "Paroni" Paakkunainen (b. 1943) had already in the 1970s and 1980s showed his musical versatility: Karelia interpreted Finnish folk music, Conjunto Baron combined Finnish schlager music and afro-cuban jazz, the cooperation project with Nils-Aslak Valkeapää put together jazz and yoik and Universal Peace Orchestra was strongly influenced by world music. Paakkunainen studied in the beginning of the 1960s in Sibelius Academy and won the EBU Jazz Contest with Tuohi Quartet in 1968. In 1973 Paakkunainen was awarded with the Georgie (Yrjö) Award as the Jazz Musician of the Year.

In the 1990s Paakkunainen performed actively with the saxophone quartet Saxperiment and he composed three songs for the debut album of the band (1997) as well. Another important band for Paakkunainen was Trio Nueva Finlandia formed in the beginning of the 1990s that has been one of the most important free jazz groups in Finland. The baritone saxophone album Baritone (Dragon 2002) offered the traditional jazz side of Paakkunainen and the Finnish-Swedish line-up of the album was also featured by Peter Gullin, the son of the early idol of Paakkunainen, Lars Gullin.

Besides jazz music Paakkunainen has also on the 21st century been active on the fields other music styles. He has played for example in The Boys and arranged schlager music, e.g. the hit song "Hetki lyö" by Kirka. Paakkunainen has also composed music for choirs, a christmas oratorio and an opera. In 2003 Järvenpää House organized the 60th Anniversary of Paakkunainen where saxophonist invited over 70 musician friends of his.