biography

Founded in 2010 by composer and guitarist Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen, Ricky-Tick Big Band is a veritable “who’s who” in Finnish Jazz. The orchestra consists of its top talent, young jazz musicians both domestically and internationally acclaimed for their extensive catalogue of work. Pöyhönen's compositions have their foundation in the legacy of big band legend Duke Ellington, but a variety of other influences can also be heard, ranging from New Orleans to Ethio-jazz and beyond. In 2013 Ricky-Tick Big Band released an album with 3 pioneers of Finnish rap who go by Julkinen Sana, which literally translates to “Public Word”. The group swept over the country by storm conquering the hearts of music lovers and critics. The follow-up album ”Korottaa Panoksii”, released in 2015, was an equal success and sold out the legendary Helsinki House of Culture twice for the record release shows, which is rare in any genre - let alone big band rap.

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