Riitta Paakki (b. 1971) began her studies in the Pop & Jazz Conservatory in Helsinki and got her Master’s Degree from the Sibelius Academy in 2002. She mentions Seppo Kantonen and Jukkis Uotila as her most influential teachers. After the Masters, she continued to doctoral studies. In her doctoral diploma work she studied the Blue Note era in the 60s and specifically pianist Herbie Hancock’s playing on saxophonist Wayne Shorter’s Speak No Evil album. In 2016 she became the first Finnish pianist to receive a Doctor’s Degree in jazz.

Paakki played for the first time in UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra soon after starting her studies at the Sibelius Academy. She quickly made her way to become an important member of many bands of her fellow students, and to lead her first own band, Riitta Paakki Trio. Her first album, self-titled Riitta Paakki Trio (Texicalli/Impala 2000) was noticed well both in Finland and Japan. Later she has released four more albums with her ensembles Riitta Paakki Trio and Riitta Paakki Quartet.

In addition to making her own music, Paakki teaches jazz piano in Sibelius Academy and in Ebeli, the pop-jazz department of Espoo music school.