Teemu Viinikainen Trio

According to the British jazz critic Stuart Nicholson: ”He is among the top twenty jazz guitarists in the world.” The most wanted Finnish jazz axe man plays in many bands, but now we can enjoy him uncut, when he takes the stage with his own trio.

Most people got to know Teemu Viinikainen (born 1975) in the U-Street All Stars, whose relentlessly swinging hard-bop was noticed internationally. Even before he shone on New Moods, New Sounds, the coolly sophisticated collaboration of vibist Severi Pyysalo and clarinetist Antti Sarpila. Later his agile comping and richly melodic solos have graced albums by saxist Eero koivistoinen, singer Vesa-Matti Loiri and fellow guitarist Timo Kämäräinen. His own Tales of Robert Dickson came out in 2005. Made with his trio, it features American trumpetist Tim Hagans.

Teemu has a guitar duo with Niklas Winter and a guitar/trumpet duo with Mikko Pettinen. He belongs also to Jukka Perko’s trio and quartet, Mirja Mäkelä Trio, Jussi Fredrikson Band and Jenny Robson Acoustic Band. The multiple ”jazz guitarist of the year” has won the Sony Jazz Prize as well as the Georgie Award.