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Esa Pietila
Born: December 9, 1964 Esa Pietila´s original style of avant garde / impro / freejazz and various projects of his - trio - quartet - solo saxophone concerts etc., have stabilized his position performing on the national / international jazz circuit, and have led him to play in USA, Canada, Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, France, The Netherlands, Belgium, Austria, Iceland, England, USA, Australia, New Zeeland, Brazil and Cuba. Esa has performed with the names like Michael Jefry Stevens, Harvey Sorgen, Heiri Kaenzig, Jeff Siegel, Karl Berger, Mark Helias, John Esposito, Mathias Eick, Iro Haarla, Olavi Louhivuori, Aki Rissanen, Antti Lötjönen, Otto Gardner, Franziska Baumann, Christoph Baumann, Banz Oester, Mike Nock, Claudio Fasoli, Anders Begcrantz, Odean Pope, Raoul Björkenheim, Brian Melvin, Markku Ounaskari, Uffe Krokfors, Filip Augustson, Hilmar Jensson, Arthur Kell, Johannes Mössinger, Kjartan Valdemarsson, Fabian Kuratli, Jarmo Savolainen, Mika Kallio, Mikko Innanen, Seppo Kantonen, Ville Herrala and Erling Kroner. Esa has also stood on stage with many global jazz luminaries, e.g. Joe Henderson, McCoy Tyner, Carla Bley, David Liebman, Vince Mendoza, Maria Schneider, Ray Anderson... Recently Esa has performed mostly with his improvised solo saxophone concerts, with newly born “Brain Inventory Trio” together with USA pianist MIchael Jefry Stevens and cellist Juho Laitinen from Finland, duo with drummer Harvey Sorgen (NYC), duo with Jeff Siegel, (NYC), trio with pianist john Esposito (USA), trio with drummer Mika Kallio & Swiss bass player Heiri Kaenzig, trio with Estonian guitarist Jaak Sooäär & MIka kallio (drs), 4 Streams Quartet with Iro Haarla, Ulf Krokfors & Markku Ounaskari, duo with German pianist Johannes Mössinger. Esa has also performed with a Finland based freejazz group Loco-Motif hosted by pianist Iro Haarla and Uffe Krokfors and with Swedish-Finnish cooperational quartet called “Comet”. A Scandinavian quintet “Nordik Kollektiv” was a project in 2005 with trumpet player Mathias Eick from Norway and a piano player Kjartan Valdemarsson from Iceland. In 2007 Pietilä started a series of totally improvised solo saxophone concerts, which will continue annually in Finland & abroad. In 2009 he released the album “Karhea” - a complitely improvised cd of solo recordings. Along with his engagements at international festivals, Esa has also been a regular visiting teacher and lecturer at annual IASJ symposium led by Davib Liebman. Esa has released alltogether eight albums by his name. Among them is a totally improvised solo saxophone cd “Karhea” released in 2009 in which he creates long forms with improvisational approaches on various themes, motives & ambient soundscapes.
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Take Five With Esa Pietila
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by AAJ Staff
Meet Esa Pietilä:Esa´s original style and various projects--trio, new quartet (formed 2008, with ECM artist Iro Haarla, solo saxophone concerts and more, have stabilized his position performing on the national/international jazz circuit, and have led him to dates in Italy, Germany, Norway, Sweden, France, The Netherlands, Austria, Iceland, England, USA, Australia, New Zeeland, Brazil and Cuba. He has performed with the names like Ron McClure, Mathias Eick, Mike Nock, Claudio Fasoli, Heiri Kaenzig, Anders Begcrantz, Odean Pope, Raoul ...
read moreFinnish Jazz Supergroup Liberty Ship Releases New Album
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Tapio Ylinen
LIBERTY SHIP – Approaching 2 Disc SPECIAL EDITION CD & Download Release date: November 1st 2013 Liberty Ship is an all star ensemle of Finnish jazz greats. Helmed by Esa Pietilä on sax the musicians - Aki Rissanen (piano), Olavi Luohivuori (drums) and Antti Lötjönen (bass) - create a true force of musical nature. Their music is improvisation at its very best, full of textures, melodies and powerful rhythms. Approaching" will be released on November 1st and is available in ...
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USA Meets Finland On Brain Inventory Trio's New Live Album "The Wall" By Konnex Records
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Esa Pietila
The recently formed Brain Inventory Trio not only bridges two cultures but also brings us a fusion of styles from jazz and folk music to rock, throwing all preconceptions out the window. With American pianist Michael Jefry Stevens and two Finns, saxophonist Esa Pietilä and cellist Juho Laitinen, in the line‐up, the trio's talents span across a multitude of musical genres. The upcoming album was recorded at a concert played in Helsinki in 2010. Both Michael Jefry Stevens and Esa ...
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Esa Pietila Improvised Solo Saxohone CD "Karhea" Released
![Esa Pietila Improvised Solo Saxohone CD "Karhea" Released](https://s3.amazonaws.com/allaboutjazz/photos/profile/musician/c0e2a95243ebd30cf6dd9df3ed05e138.jpg)
Source:
Michael Ricci
Solo concerts / New FOUR STREAMS" Quartet Esa Pietilas fully improvised solo saxophone CD KARHEA" has been released on march 26. 2009. At the Solo concerts, the virtuosity of his technique and the tonal colours he creates in multitude textures belong into to the elite of saxophone expression. His capabilities to let the saxophone ring from variety of minimalism whispers to full free blowing, results a rich palette of colourful shapes of multiphonics, chordal tones, rhythmic surprises, and even fuga-like ...
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“Esa is one of Finland's leading jazz musicians and a dedicated jazz educator. I recommend his albums Direct (Fiasko Records) with Uffe Krokfors on bass and Markku Ounaskari on drums as well as the album Fulica Acra that followed, which show his scope and imagination as a player.” - Professor Stuart Nicholson, Author, Journalist, Lecturer About solo saxophone CD "Karhea"....Congrats on the new CD - it's FANTASTIC! - AllAboutJazz-New York ( Laurence Donohue-Greene ) Esa is a wonderfully gifted saxophonist and composer. I can highly recommend Esa as a composer, performer and educator.” - Michael J
Primary Instrument
Saxophone
Location
Helsinki
Willing to teach
Advanced only
Credentials/Background
Pietilä has given masterclasses and clinics of jazz and free improvisation & saxophone expression at: Boston, Berklee Music school of Music, Privatiuniversitet Wien, Graz, University Jazz Department, Luzern Musichochschule in Switzerland, Malmö Royal Academy of music (Sweden), Reykjavik FUI Music School, etc plus numerous workshops at his home country. hours/rates - please contact [email protected]
Clinic/Workshop Information
Photos
Music
Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson