The new, category-evading quartet issues their debut, Elixir, on vinyl and wood disc on 2 September. The release is followed by an extensive Finnish tour.
The one and unique quartet Ajaton create four-dimensional music that frustrates all unnecessary definitions. Bringing together musicians who represent a host of musical styles and periods, Ajaton, ‘timeless’ in English, are true to their name. This quartet, like its instrumentation and repertory, is a sum of intriguing, seemingly incompatible parts: improvised landscapes, reminiscences of folk music, hints to medieval lute ditties and original compositions intertwine seamlessly in their hands.
Founded in 2013, the outfit is formed by four original, acclaimed artists working in the fields of folk music, jazz and classical. Led by vocalist Mia Simanainen, Ajaton features Henrik Sandås on the bandoneon, Mikko Perkola on the viol and Kari Ikonen on the moog. Rather than defining themselves through formal or stylistic attributes, Ajaton is more interested in giving free rein to each member’s creative whims.
“I believe it is the harsh climate of Finland that produces adventurous artistic endeavours of which the artists of this group are an apt example. Only a very pig-headed belief in this very unconventional idea brought me to found a group like this,” laughs Simanainen.
Ajaton’s debut album is as unconventional as the outfit: the digital download code comes with a limited, numbered WD, wood disc, that oozes with artisan warmth and timelessness. The album comes out on Finnish label Eclipse Music.
Tour concerts
7 Sep Joensuu Pakkahuone at 19
8 Sep Nurmes Hannikainen Hall at 19
9 Sep Kuhmo Lentua Hall at 19
10 Sep Kajaani Kouta Hall at 19
11 Sep Viitasaari Tervamäki Chapel at 14
11 Sep Petäjävesi Auditorium Miilu at 19
12 Sep Jyväskylä Boombox at 18
13 Sep Helsinki Lapinlahti Hospital at 19
14 Sep Lahden Jazztori, Music Club Mössö at 20
15 Sep Tampere Eclipse Jazz Club Tampere Student Theatre at 19
Ajaton
Mia Simanainen, vocals
Henrik Sandås, bandoneon
Kari Ikonen, moog
Mikko Perkola, viol
Ajaton debuted on stage in 2014 at the Siba Fest, and in the same year their performance was recorded by the Finnish Broadcasting Company, YLE, at the famous M1 Studio. The next year saw them participate in the 150th anniversary celebrations of Jean Sibelius’s birthday in Finland and give their first live show aboard, at London’s Southwark Cathedral.
Mia Simanainen (b. 1970) is a Master of Music and adventurous vocalist, who also composes music for her groups. Her expression and musical language set her apart from many of her colleagues: with her right foot in the realm of jazz, she reaches toward other genres, such as classical and folk. Her previous projects include the rare fusion of modern jazz with poems by Helvi Juvonen, and she has performed at various festivals, clubs, concert halls, churches, schools and galleries around Europe and in Mexico and Japan. She is also a well-liked voice teacher at the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki.
Henrik Sandås (b. 1981) and his bandoneon are a rare sight in today’s cosmopolitan music scene. His sovereign musicianship and captivating style of expression have earned him recognition around the Continent and South America, and in Finland he is regarded as one of the finest experts of tango nuevo. He plays a bandoneon built by Alfred Arnold in 1928.
Mikko Perkola (b. 1977) is an exceptional viol artist who does not fear to surrender to improvisation. He is a sought-after interpreter of early music but he is equally at home in the realms of contemporary music, improvised music and projects combining music and theatre. Due to his penchant for testing the limits of his instrument, he has broken new paths for his instrument and himself as a musician.
The Yrjö Jazz Prize -knighted pianist Kari Ikonen (b. 1973) counts among Finland’s most acclaimed jazz musicians. In addition to leading his own trio and the international sextet Karikko, he has collaborated with a host of top acts and artists, including UMO Jazz Orchestra, Lee Konitz, Ingrid Jensen, Bob Moses, Mathias Eick and Louis Sclavis. Regarded highly as a composer, Ikonen has been awarded in a number of composition competitions, Julius Hemphill Composition Awards (USA) and Scrivere in Jazz (Italy), to name a few. Besides his work as a professional musician and composer, Ikonen teaches at the Sibelius Academy.
The tour is supported by the Finnish Music Foundation. Ajaton is supported by the Kone Foundation.
Photo by Tanja Ahola.