Biography

Singer Pamela Kilpeläinen and composer-pianist Heikki Sarmanto released their new album Stjärnenatten in May 2024.

The album features texts by two significant Finnish poets, Edith Södergran and Eino Leino, set to Heikki Sarmanto’s compositions. The album includes music in both Finnish and Swedish, celebrating the nearly two-decade-long collaboration between Sarmanto and Pamela Kilpeläinen. Alongside the two artists, the album features top Finnish jazz musicians Jussi Kannaste (tenor saxophone), Juhani Aaltonen (flute), Wade Mikkola (double bass), and Thomas Törnroos (drums).

Composer-pianist Heikki Sarmanto is one of the most renowned and prolific ambassadors of Finnish jazz. His composition Opuscule was awarded in the international jazz composition competition in Minneapolis in 1961. In 1971, he won the main prize at the Montreux Jazz Festival in both the piano and ensemble categories. He has performed and recorded worldwide, and in 1988, his work Suomi Symphony premiered at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York. Sarmanto received the Pro Finlandia medal in 2009.

Singer Pamela Kilpeläinen is known for her powerful and soulful musical interpretations. She holds a Master’s degree in musicology and sings in seven languages. Pamela has studied classical singing with various teachers, and her versatile repertoire covers several genres, including jazz, blues, soul, bossa nova, and French chanson.

Kilpeläinen and Sarmanto’s collaboration began in 2005, and their joint album When I Was With You was released in 2006. The album was a critical and commercial success, leading to numerous performances together, both as a duo and with the Sarmanto Band, for almost two decades. The Stjärnenatten album celebrates their long-standing, fruitful partnership.

Tracklist

1. Mot alla fyra vindaEdith Södergran
2. En strimma havEdith Södergran
3. Höstens bleka sjöEdith Södergran
4. StjärnenattenEdith Södergran
5. KärlekEdith Södergran
6. Nordisk vårEdith Södergran
7. EnsamhetEdith Södergran
8. SkogssjönEdith Södergran
9. NocturneEdith Södergran
10. Rannalle nukkunut Eino Leino
11. RauhaEino Leino
12. IltarukousEino Leino