Kari Ikonen Trio’s sophomore is an ode to contrasts. Formed by three award-winning musicians, the release will also see the group give four performances around Finland.
Finnish-Armenian jazz ensemble, Kari Ikonen Trio, releases their eargerly-awaited second album on 6 February on German Ozella Music. Fusing Afro-American jazz tradition with Eastern and Scandinavian elements, the forthcoming album, bearing the title Beauteous Tales and Offbeat Stories, is a veritable ode to contrasts. Composed of pianist Kari Ikonen, Armenian-born bassist Ara Yaralyan and drummer Markku Ounaskari, the trio published their debut, Bright, on the same label nearly two years ago, in April 2013. The debut album won them plenty of international attention. It is telling that two thirds of the group have won the Finnish Jazz Federation’s prestigious Yrjö Prize, and what’s more, in consecutive years: Ikonen was awarded in 2013 and Ounaskari last year. Following the launch of the new recording, the trio will tour Finland in early February, while the official launching show will take place at Koko Jazz Club in Helsinki on 14 February.
Some lucky ones were treated to a few tasters from the new album by Ikonen and co. already in last December at the We Jazz 2014 event. In addition to Finland, the group has toured Europe and the U.S. extensively in recent years, performing in Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Spain and Russia. The group will return to European stages, including Germany, Belgium and Austria, later this spring, around the album’s international launching date in April. The abundantly-praised Bright was chosen among the albums of the year by German Jazzthetic and American Something Else Reviews in 2013, so hopes are high for the upcoming release.
The Yrjö-knighted pianist Kari Ikonen (b. 1973) is one of the most acclaimed jazz artists in Finland. In addition to his trio and the multinational sextet Karikko, Ikonen has collaborated with a number of top groups and artists, including UMO, Ingrid Jensen, Magnus Broo and Ron McClure. Ikonen is also a widely recognised composer, who has been rewarded in the American Julius Hemphill Composition Awards and in the Italian Scrivere in Jazz composition competitions. A former student of Berklee College of Music, the Armenian-born and Tallinn-based double-bassist Ara Yaralyan (b. 1973) has worked with such artists as Vardan Oyespian, Brian Melvin, Kristjan Randalu and Karen Kocharyan, in addition to Ikonen. While drummer Markku Ounaskari (b. 1967), a signee of the prestigious label ECM, is known from the group Kuára and for his former projects with, for instance, Jarmo Savolainen, Piirpauke and Pekka Pohjola. The Finnish Jazz Federation awarded him with the Yrjö Prize in 2014.
Listen to tasters from Kari Ikonen Trio’s second album Beauteous Tales and Offbeat Stories on: https://soundcloud.com/kari-ikonen/sets/kari-ikonen-trio-beauteous/s-kMWUo
Watch a video on making of the new album below
Kari Ikonen Trio in Live at We Jazz video series: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_0gGFiOlh0
KARI IKONEN TRIO
Kari Ikonen, piano / Ara Yaralyan, double bass / Markku Ounaskari, drums
Kari Ikonen Trio: Beauteous Tales and Offbeat Stories
Ozella Music / OZ060CD (release date in Finland 6 Feb 2015)
1. L’avant-midi d’une elfe / 2. Astri Pes / 3. Kärhämä / 4. Septentrional / 5. Veritulppaani / 6. Countdown / 7. Verhotango / 8. Yöläiset / 9. Poorab Disa Se / 10. The 4th Part of the Harbour Trilogy
KARI IKONEN TRIO LIVE
Fri 6 Feb Kajaani, Kaukametsän Kouta-sali at 7:00PM
Sat 7 Feb Joensuu, Konservatorion konserttisali at 6:00PM
Mon 9 Feb Nurmes, Hannikaisen Sali at 7:00PM
Sat 14 Feb Helsinki, Koko Jazz Club at 9:00PM, Official album-launching show
18 – 21 March Narva, Tartu, Tallinn and Sillamäe.
In making pf the album, Kari Ikonen Trio has been supported by the Finnish Music Foundation and the Arts Promotion Centre Finland.