Biography

The solo album  of drummer Mika Säily was released on 11 November 2016 under artist name Bikutsi.

"Mozaique was meant to be second album of my band Jamaze. Somehow my music evolved to more complex direction to realise with jazz quartet. Anyway I got a change to record rhythm section parts with Jamaze’s excellent musicians. After I let go the band concept, I began to consider every tune as a singular entity – what is the best for them and what is their potential. I was now freer to experiment and rethink. 

To produce debut solo album is a huge learning process. I was encouraged to record and mix whole disc. The recording process in home studio is very different if compared to commercial studio. All my instruments and other equipment are available when needed. Other privilege is to book musicians when they are free to record and there is a possibility to do enough extra takes. And also recording plan is more flexible. 

From jazz musicians point of view the recording process was quite unusual. All instruments were recorded separately in every tune. The click track from notation software was always the first where I dubbed the drum kit. Second was double bass and third piano and so on. Clear vision about the compositions and producing kept the project alive. Some absurd sessions there were when I had to descript carefully to the musicians what instruments will be added there. I am very thankful for the musicians on this record and proud about their musicianship and dedication. I hope also these musicians feel they’re succeeded on these tracks."

Mika Säily (compositions, lyrics, arrangements, dr, perc, keyb, xylophone, synth bass, programming, voc, g, el-p)

+2, 4: Antti Koivula (voc)
+ 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17: Kaisa Mäensivu (b)
+ 3, 6, 9, 10, 11: Elina Hjelt (voc)
+ 3, 14, 16: Rob Dominis (keyb)
+ 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12: Rob Dominis (p)
+ 6: Raila Kulokari (ts)
+ 8: Amanda Oscarsson (voc)
+ 9, 10, 11: Kadi Vilja (voc, voice)
+ 14: Joakim Berghäll (ss)
+ 14: Joonas Widenius (g)
+ 15, 16, 17: Viivi Maria Saarenkylä (acc)
+ 16: Anna Vihonen (voc)

Tracklist

1. Bienvenue á Mozaique
2. The dance of the mendiani
3. 15 years
4. Mendiani reprise
5. Solidarity
6. Freedom
7. M’Bolo
8. I’ll give you everything
9. Turquoise
10. Brown
11. White
12. Dodecaphonic blues
13. Ku!
14. Vista del mar
15. Let’s beat the earth – Bikutsi
16. Marmot
17. Bikutsi reprise