NEW ALBUM GRADATION RELEASED IN JAPAN!

Joonas Haavisto - Gradation

Joonas Haavisto Trio Japan tour 2018:

16 May Tochigi Prefecture Cultural Center, Tochigi
18 May Toyonaka Performing Arts Center, Osaka
19 May Joyo City Cultural Center, Kyoto
20 May Izumi Arts Centre Theatre Fonte, Kanagawa
21 May Panthenon Tama, Tokyo

Get your own copy from here: http://blog-jazztokyo.diskunion.net/Entry/33970/

”Joonas Haavisto is one of the most talented pianists of his generation.”

- Der Spiegel (November 2016)

”Joonas Haavisto Trio is one of the best piano trios in Europe.”

- Sounds & Books (November 2016)

”Latest masterpiece from the fast rising Nordic Star.”

— Jazz Critiques Magazine (March 2016)

”This trio´s real thrill lies in its unique balance and those breathtaking moments in their nuanced playing.”

— Toshiaki Uemura, CD Journal (February 2016)

”Every tune sounds excellent!”

— Takashi Kubota, Jazz Japan (February 2016)

”Pianotrion taikaa korkeimmalla tasolla. Myös levyn nimi oku on japania. "Sisäinen tila" on siinä ilmaistu vain kolmella kirjaimella. Ja kun kolme mestarillista muusikkoa löytää yhteisen okun, siinä sitä ihastelemista riittääkin.”

— Pentti Ronkainen, Keskisuomalainen/Savon Sanomat 5/5

”Hämmentävän jäntevältä kuulostava kokonaisuus pulppuilee tavalla, joka imaisee vastaanottajan mukaansa. Harmonisessa ympäristössä täyteläinen bassottelu, soljuvat pianovaeltelut sekä irtonainen rytmitys poikivat hurmaavan euforian.”

— Juha Seitz, Ilkka/Pohjalainen 5/5

”Haavistos pianospel känns exklusivt. Hans stycken bjuder på en bred palett av stämningar och stilar utan att splittra helheten, som stöttas av den mångårige trions utmärkta samspel.”

— Jan-Erik Holmberg, HBL

”Hiljaisuus ja tilantuntu kasvoivat sen myötä osaksi yhtyeen ulosantia – herkkyys kuunnella kanssasoittajia toi lisäarvoa lähestymistapaan. Upea esitys!”

— Matti Komulainen, Turun Sanomat


9.9.2018

Autumn 2018


Autumn 2018After a nice and warm summer it`s time to take a look at the concert calendar. Very interesting gigs coming up in the autumn 2018. Martti Vesala Soundpost Quintet plays at the legendary Tampere Jazz Happening Festival in October, with my trio we have concerts in Kangasala, Jyväskylä and for the first time in Moscow too. I have also the honor to play with Ostrobothian Chamber Orchestra in October. See you soon! (photo by Atsushi Toyoshima)

10.6.2018

JOONAS HAAVISTO TRIO AT JAZZAHEAD 2018


JOONAS HAAVISTO TRIO AT JAZZAHEAD 2018Joonas Haavisto Trio played a showcase gig at the Jazzahead 2018 in Bremen last April. Selected from over 600 applicants trio played in front of hundreds of jazz professionals from promoters to artistic directors. It was a great experience and trio got a lot of positive feed back! Here´s a link for the show. Enjoy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0id4V3Uz6q8&t=517s

10.6.2018

JHT JAPAN TOUR 2018


JHT JAPAN TOUR 2018With five concerts in one of the best halls I have ever played I must say that our Japan tour 2018 in May was really unique. I want to thank my Japanese team Kiyoshi Kouyama, Misao Fujita and Atsushi Toyoshima for your hard work and passion for making the tour memorable for all of us. And of course, the Japanese audience in Tochigi, Osaka, Kyoto, Yokohama and Tokyo, you are amazing. I am also more than happy that our album Gradation has gotten great reviews in the main jazz magazines and was chosen as Tower Records recommends of new jazz albums 2018. Arigato!!! (photo by Atsushi Toyoshima)

28.1.2018

Spring 2018 concert calendar updated


Spring 2018 concert calendar updatedI am looking forward to play with some of my favourite musicians in great venues this spring. I am really happy to return to Japan in May with five concerts in beautiful halls in Tokyo, Kanazawa, Osaka, Kyoto and Tochigi. In April I have the honor to play in Jazzahead Bremen with my trio. Also my great friend and saxophone player Kestutis Vaiginis invited me to play two shows in Lithuania in March, one of them in Jazz Celler 11 and the other in Birstonas Jazz Festival. Besides the international venues, I have some nice gigs coming up in Finland in cities like Helsinki, Joensuu and Kokkola. I hope to see you in the concerts!

7.9.2017

Solo concert in Steinway Piano Gallery Helsinki


Solo concert in Steinway Piano Gallery HelsinkiI feel really happy after my first solo concert in the Steinway Piano Gallery Helsinki. It was a big challenge for me in many ways, but also very interesting and rewarding. Solo concerts are not everyday life for most of us as jazz pianists, but I hope I can do more of those in the near future. Big thanks for the Steinway faculty for the arrangements and thanks for the great audience for coming to listen to my music. I hope you all liked it!

13.8.2017

Joonas Haavisto is a new Steinway Artist


Joonas Haavisto is a new Steinway ArtistI´m very happy to tell you that I became a Steinway Artist last May. It is a great honor to be part of the family with such amazing pianists as Vladimir Horowitz, Artur Rubinstein, Ahmad Jamal, Keith Jarrett, Brad Mehldau and Robert Glasper. I am looking forward to keep searching the beauty of the sound with the best pianos in the world!

https://www.steinway.com/artists/joonas-haavisto

19.3.2017

Joonas Haavisto Trio´s album Oku released in Germany


Joonas Haavisto Trio´s album Oku released in GermanyOur latest album Oku is now on sale in record stores in Germany, Switzerland and Austria. You can check out the details from Herbie Martin Music. We did a sold out CD release concert in Felleshus concert hall in Berlin last November and we are planning to tour in Germany later this year. Stay tuned!

http://www.herbiemartinmusic.de/_p/prd14/4574655301/product/joonas-haavisto-trio---oku

4.9.2016

Hymyilevä mies movie won the first prize Prix Un Certain Regard, Festival de Cannes 2016


Hymyilevä mies movie won the first prize Prix Un Certain Regard, Festival de Cannes 2016I´m very proud and happy to be part of the movie "The Happiest Day In The Life Of Olli Mäki". I composed and performed a piano track for the movie. We recorded the music at my studio apartment in the spring and it was one of the most interesting things I have done. Juho Kuosmanen is the first Finnish director who has won Prix Un Certain Regard at the Cannes Film Festival. The movie will be shown all over the world and its premier was September 2. It has already received excellent reviews and the future looks very bright for the debutant Kuosmanen.

Olli Mäki had a chance of a lifetime. He was the first ever Finn to fight for the world championship in feather weight boxing, but lost the match humiliatingly in the second round by a knock out in front of a packed stadium. He says it was the best day of his life.

http://hymyilevamies.fi

12.7.2016

Playing at the Pori Jazz Festival 2016


This week jazz is happening in Pori, where I also have four gigs at the Pori Jazz Festival. It´s gonna be a lot of fun playing with amazing groups plus meeting new people and enjoying some of the best jazz in the world. On Wednesday I´ll play with my trio, on Thursday with Martti Vesala Soundpost Quintet and on Friday with Zander. See you in Pori!!!

22.6.2016

Summer 2016 festivals


Summer 2016 festivalsAfter a busy spring semester I have been composing new material from solo piano to big band. There will be really interesting festival gigs coming up in July and August in Finland. At the Pori Jazz festival I have four gigs with my trio, Zander and Martti Vesala Soundpost Quintet.

Korpo Sea Jazz festival will take place in the end of July. Located in Korppoo archipelago it´s definitely one of the most beautiful festival venues in Finland. I´m excited to play a solo piano concert there and I will also lead my quintet in the final night.

In Helsinki I will have two shows at the Jazz-Espa festival in the beginning of August. The first one will be with my trio and the second one with Zander. We will play new tunes from the recently-released debut cassette The Sound of Rewinding. I hope to see you there!

2.5.2016

Joonas Haavisto Trio´s Japan tour was successful!


Joonas Haavisto Trio´s Japan tour was successful!I´d like to thank everybody who made our tour possible in Japan last month. We had five amazing concerts at beautiful concert halls in Tochigi, Chiba, Yokohama, Nagano and Tokyo! Most of the halls were packed and I got to hear that our concert at the Lili´s Hall in Yokohama had been sold out already two weeks before our performance.

Thanks to Mr. Kiyoshi Kouyama and Blue Gleam for all the hard work, Antti and Joonas for your endless inspiration and beautiful playing, Taike and Helsingin kaupunki for your support.

2.4.2016

ALBUM RELEASE TOUR JAPAN 2016


Joonas Haavisto Trio´s third album OKU was released in Europe and Japan in January 2016 (Fredriksson Music / Blue Gleam). We had a wonderful CD release tour in Finland and Estonia with my trio featuring saxophonist Tivon Pennicott (USA). In April (12-19) we´re heading to Japan for a five concert album release tour. The venues will be Tochigi Prefecture Cultural Center, Sammu City Naruto Cultural Center Chiba, Sakae Ward Cultural Center Kanagawa, Suzaka City Cultural Center Nagano and Shinjuku Bunka Center Mesena Hall, Tokyo. You can check out the schedule from my gigs page. Before the tour we have one concert in Helsinki on 6 April in a beautiful Steinway Piano Gallery. I hope to see you there!

"Oku" album has received widespread acclaim hot on the heels of its release. The album was featured on the Apple Music "Jazz A-List" and the Japanese "Jazz Critique Magazine" called it a "masterpiece from the rising Nordic Star". In Finland, the album has received several 5-star ratings in the press.

1.2.2016

Joonas Haavisto Trio feat. Tivon Pennicott touring in Finland and Estonia


Joonas Haavisto Trio feat. Tivon Pennicott touring in Finland and EstoniaIt was a great pleasure to have my old friend, saxophonist Tivon Pennicott (USA) featuring my trio´s CD release tour in Finland and Estonia last month. We had four shows in Tallinn, Helsinki, Turku and Koli. I feel fortunate to play my music with these amazing musicians. Thank you so much!

29.11.2015

Joonas plays five concerts during the We Jazz 2015 week 7.-13.12.


Joonas plays five concerts during the We Jazz 2015 week 7.-13.12.In one of the most interesting jazz festivals in Finland, We Jazz 2015, Joonas Haavisto invites five artists and the audience into his one room apartment in Töölö featuring a grand piano. Joonas has planned different programs with each great soloists and he wants to create an interactive conversation between both the musicians and the audience. An intimate home concert is guaranteed. Get your tickets now from the link below.

http://www.lippu.fi

This will be fun!!!

http://wejazz.fi/2015/en

14.4.2015

JOONAS HAAVISTO TRIO recording their third album in Kallio-Kuninkala studios 15.-17.4.2015!


JOONAS HAAVISTO TRIO recording their third album in Kallio-Kuninkala studios 15.-17.4.2015!It´s been a while since my last news. I´ve been working very intensely with my trio and composing new material for our third album, which will be recorded in the great Kallio-Kuninkala studios in Järvenpää this week. I´m very excited about it and looking forward to work with such amazing musicians as Antti and Joonas. I also heard that there will be a new Steinway D grand piano in the studio, so it´ll be a lot of fun in the next three days!

For those of you who didn´t know this studio is located by the beautiful Lake Tuusula. Several renowned masters of Finnish literature, music, and other arts lived and worked in these surroundings during the boom of Finnish national culture in the late 19th and early 20th century, the most famous of them being the composer Jean Sibelius.

24.9.2014

ARIGATO TOKYO!!!


ARIGATO TOKYO!!!I feel really pleased for being part of the Tokyo Jazz Festival 2014. We had such a wonderful audience and a great gig at the Plaza. Dolphy Jazz Spot club in Yokohama was also very nice venue and I hope we´ll come back soon. Arigato!!!

11.8.2014

Joonas Haavisto Trio in TOKYO JAZZ Festival 2014!!!


Joonas Haavisto Trio in TOKYO JAZZ Festival 2014!!!I´m more than happy to let you know that we are playing in TOKYO JAZZ FESTIVAL on September 6th with my trio. The venue, where we play will be a beautiful outdoor concert place called "the PLAZA". On the next day, Sunday 7th we head to Yokohama, where we have a gig in Jazz Spot Dolphy club. I´m looking forward to see my Japanese friends and all the jazz people around the world!!!

http://www.tokyo-jazz.com/jp/artists/

Biography

Joonas Haavisto

Joonas Haavisto (b.1982) is a Finnish pianist and composer. He is one of the most exciting young jazz musicians coming from the Nordic jazz scene and has won several prizes in the international competitions including Jazz Improvizacija 2006 solo piano competition, Young Nordic Jazz Comets 2007 and Jazz Hoeilaart 2010. He was also one of the semi-finalists in Nottingham International Jazz Piano Competition 2010. Joonas has performed widely around Europe, USA, Canada and Japan with his groups.

During the last years Joonas Haavisto Trio has performed in several festivals and jazz clubs in Europe and Japan. In 2011 trio toured in England and France, performing e.g. in Royal Concert Hall of Nottingham and Bonington Theatre Jazz Club, in Paris Jazzcolors Festival and in Les Boréales Festival Caen 2011. In Japan they have played in the legendary Tokyo Jazz Festival 2014 and Musashino Swing Hall in 2013. As a soloist Joonas has also played with two of the greatest chamber orchestras in Finland, The Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra in 2007 and The Chamber Orchestra of Lapland in 2008. Joonas Haavisto Trio has released three albums, Blue Waters (2009, Rockadillo), Micro to Macro (2012, Fredriksson Music & Blue Gleam) and oku (2016, Fredriksson Music & Blue Gleam). Albums have received excellent reviews in both Finnish and international media. Micro to Macro album was on the top 10 new jazz CD recommendations list of two major record stores in Japan, Tower Records and disk union. It was placed first on the British ukvibe´s new jazz releases list in 2013. A song titled Frozen from the latest album oku was among the best 25 songs on The A-List 2015-2016: Jazz by Apple Music.

Joonas Haavisto began his musical studies at the age of seven at the Conservatory of his home town Kokkola. He played the classical double bass and sang in a boy choir before his first jazz piano lessons with Sid Hille at the age of sixteen. After graduating from high school and doing military service Joonas entered the Sibelius-Academy in 2002, where he studied jazz piano with Mikael Jakobsson, Jim Beard, Jukkis Uotila and Seppo Kantonen. In addition, Joonas has taken part in many great Masterclasses given by Randy Brecker, Dave Kikoski, Joey Calderazzo and Chris Potter, to name a few. In 2005 Joonas got a scholarship from the Sibelius-Academy for his studies in the University of Miami, Frost School of Music where he studied composing with Ron Miller and piano with Doug Bickel. Joonas completed his Master of Music degree in Sibelius-Academy in 2011.

Soon after moving to Helsinki in 2002 Joonas began to play in various groups. In the fall 2004 Joonas made his debut with the Finnish top big band UMO Jazz Orchestra and at the same year he joined the quitarist Jukka Tolonen´s Cool Train band, with which they have been touring in Scandinavia and Canada. Despite his young age Joonas has also performed with one of the finest jazz musicians such as Jerry Bergonzi, Jonathan Kreisberg, Ron Mclure, Bill Watrous, Bertil Strandberg, John Fedchock, Tivon Pennicott, Teemu Viinikainen, Jukka Perko, Verneri Pohjola and Jukkis Uotila. Joonas plays in several Finnish jazz groups: Zander, Inga Söder, Martti Vesala Soundpost Quintet, Mikko Pellinen Mini Big Band, and Joonas Haavisto Quintet.

Gigs

Past gigs

1970

2012

2013

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Music

Chilling at Shinjuku

Frozen

Breaking a piano string in the middle of the piano solo

Joonas Haavisto Quartet feat. Gunu Karjalainen - Spring Up

Joonas Haavisto Quintet - Day Dream

Joonas Haavisto - Oku

Joonas Haavisto - Oku

Get your own copy from here:

iTunes
Levykauppa Äx
Digelius Music

Joonas Haavisto Trio - Micro to Macro

You can buy the album from here:

iTunes
Levykauppa Äx
Digelius Music

Joonas Haavisto Piano Trio - Blue Waters

You can buy the album from here:

iTunes Record Shop X
Digelius Music

28.9.2011 Conservatory, Kokkola

Joonas Haavisto - piano
Petri Puolitaival - sax
Juho Kivivuori - bass
Ville Pynssi - drums

Cameraman, Timo Lehto

12.8.2010 Sibelius-Academy Chamber Music Hall, Helsinki

Jussi Kannaste - sax
Joonas Haavisto - piano
Antti Lötjönen - bass
Ville Pynssi - drums

Photos

Joonas Haavisto promotional photos


Kotikuva by Jori Hellsten ja katukuva by Hannu Huhtala, others by Antti Aimo-Koivisto

Joonas Haavisto Trio feat. Tivon Pennicott



Photos by Olli Sulin

Joonas Haavisto Trio recording oku album


Touring in Japan


Random


We Jazz 2015 home concerts


Photos by Tanja Ahlstén

France


Photos: Emmanuelle Vial

Press

”Latest masterpiece from the fast rising Nordic Star.”

— Jazz Critiques Magazine (March 2016)

”This trio´s real thrill lies in its unique balance and those breathtaking moments in their nuanced playing.”

— Toshiaki Uemura, CD Journal (February 2016)

”Every tune sounds excellent!”

— Takashi Kubota, Jazz Japan (February 2016)

”Haavisto’s playing resembles the style of Keith Jarrett and Brad Mehldau. The mastering of Northern Europe coolness and catchy melodies is Haavisto’s strong point.”

— Jazz Life, Japan: Micro to Macro

”This debut set is a delight from start to finish.”

— Tim Stenhouse, ukvibe 4/5 (Micro to Macro)

”Hämmentävän jäntevältä kuulostava kokonaisuus pulppuilee tavalla, joka imaisee vastaanottajan mukaansa. Harmonisessa ympäristössä täyteläinen bassottelu, soljuvat pianovaeltelut sekä irtonainen rytmitys poikivat hurmaavan euforian.”

— Juha Seitz, Ilkka/Pohjalainen 5/5 (oku)

”Pianotrion taikaa korkeimmalla tasolla. Myös levyn nimi Oku on japania. "Sisäinen tila" on siinä ilmaistu vain kolmella kirjaimella. Ja kun kolme mestarillista muusikkoa löytää yhteisen okun, siinä sitä ihastelemista riittääkin.”

— Pentti Ronkainen, Keskisuomalainen/Savon Sanomat 5/5 (oku)

”Haavistos pianospel känns exklusivt. Hans stycken bjuder på en bred palett av stämningar och stilar utan att splittra helheten, som stöttas av den mångårige trions utmärkta samspel.”

— Jan-Erik Holmberg, HBL (oku)

”Hiljaisuus ja tilantuntu kasvoivat sen myötä osaksi yhtyeen ulosantia – herkkyys kuunnella kanssasoittajia toi lisäarvoa lähestymistapaan. Upea esitys!”

— Matti Komulainen, Turun Sanomat (oku levynjulkaisukonsertti)

“Joonas Haavisto liittyy luontevasti pohjoismaisen jazzpianon perinteeseen kirkkaan selkeällä ja linjakkaalla soitollaan. Albumista syntyy kuulas, viileää kauneutta henkivä kokonaisuus.”

— Jukka piiroinen, Valon kuvia blogi (oku)

”Actually, this really was the favourite album of the day.”

”According to the feedback from our listeners, the status of this recording has become a hit album.”

— Swing Journal, Japan, Blue Waters album review, May 2010

The whole review in Finnish, click here.

”Joonas is an exceptional performing pianist to be included among the world´s finest. Additionally, he is a fine composer and arranger.”

— Ron Miller

”Pianistin, basistin ja rumpalin yhdistelmä on yksi modernin jazzin keskeisimmistä kokoonpanoista – ja kuluneimmista. Joonas Haavisto (s. 1982) ei ole yrittänyt keksiä sen muodostamiseksi silti mitään temppuja, vaan luottaa tyylikkääseen yhteissoittoon sekä ”kamarimusiikilliseen” modernismiin, joka on hänen esikuviaan energisempää.”

— Helsingin Sanomat, Finland, Harri Uusitorppa, Dec 2009

”Haavisto ei osoita kiinnostusta rock-asenteella leikittelyyn tai tempputaiteelliseen erikoisuuden tavoitteluun. Hän keskittyy asian ytimeen. Näin syntyy sielukasta ja tasapainoista musiikkia, joka ei tähtää tanssittamiseen, mutta svengaa tarpeen vaatiessa vaivattomasti.”

— Soundi, Finland, Pauli Kallio, Nov 2009

The whole review in Finnish, click here.

”Pianisti Joonas Haaviston (s.1982) trion soitossa kuuluu pianotrioperinne hienolla tavalla. Haavisto Blue Waters –debyytillä tarjoillaan perinnettä sekä modernilla että sujuvan raikkaalla otteella. Nuoresta iästään huolimatta – tai ehkäpä juuri siksi – Haavisto on uskallusta sukeltaa jonnekin Keith Jarretin viitoittaman musiikin maailmaan. Miehen omaa musiikkia, poislukien yksi Jori Huhtalan sävellys, sisältävä avaus vie kuulijan tätä kautta pianotrioperinteen syövereihin. Sinne ei huku, vaan nauttii kuulemastaan.

Kolmikon tiukkaa yhteissoittoa kelpaa kuunnella.”

— Salon Seudun Sanomat, Finland, Oct 2009

”Haaviston oma musiikillinen kieli luovii amerikkalaisen ja eurooppalaisen jazz-tradition välimaastossa. Harmonisesti hänen musiikkinsa on värikästä ja soinnillisesti rikasta.

Alkupuolella kuultu Lost Life rakentui yksinkertaisen ostinaton varaan ja toi kovasti mieleen Chick Corean Children´s songs –pianosarjan pienoiskuvat. Home ja Overtime puolestaan olivat samasta sävelpuusta veistettyjä – hyvin soivaa, kuvailevaa ja herkkiäkin sävyjä etsivää musiikkia”

— Hämeen Sanomat, Finland, Solo piano concert review Jul 2007

“Joonas Haavisto: Blue Waters. Tässäpä jälleen tyylikäs näyte uuden sukupolven suomalaisesta jazzista.”

“Se tyytyy lipumaan perinteisillä vesillä, mutta niin linjakkaasti ja elegantisti, että musiikin vaivatonta virtaviivaisuutta voi vain ihailla – kuin purjevenettä kesäisenä aamuna Airistolla.”

— Satakunnan Kansa, Finland, Ilari Tapio, Oct 2009

”Kolmenkympin rajapyykkiä lähestyvä Joonas Haavisto on kiivennyt tasaisen varmalla vauhdilla Suomijazzin kärkipianistien joukkoon.

Saamme kuulla taidokkaasti soitettua, nyansseilla ja keveillä impressioilla herkuttelevaa pianojazzia.

Trion musisointi on kaikessa tiiviydessään ihailtavan kevyttä ja irtonaista. Silloinkin kun päällä on kunnon draivi, svengi on kevyttä ja pakotonta. Haavisto luo juuri sellaista hienostunutta jazzia, joka kelpaa mainiosti myös monille klassisen pianomusiikin ystäville.”

— Suomijazz, Finland, Pentti Ronkainen, Jan 2010

Rytmi-magazine, February 2007 (PDF)

Page 1, Page 2

Contacts

Joonas Haavisto

For further information, including gig bookings, compositions or lessons, please don't hesitate to contact me!

Joonas Haavisto
Pianist, composer

E-mail: mailto:johaavis@gmail.com
Phone: +358 50 374 6476




Tervetuloa Steinway Piano Gallery Helsinkiin