NORDIC TRINITY
Juhani Aaltonen – tenor saxophone
Mikko Iivanainen - guitar
Klaus Suonsaari - drums
Nordic Trinity is an interactive and freewheeling group of three generations of musicians who explores inventive melodic themes and rhythms found not only in the traditions of free jazz and contemporary improvisation but also in the complexity of modern composition. The bands philosophy is based on paradoxes and extremes being a necessity in order to achieve balance. The variety of their work discovers contrasts in the weight of sound. Nordic Trinity digs into a place where people live not only out of necessity, but because they want to be part of a future that invites surprise and welcomes spontaneity.
Juhani Aaltonen (b.1935) is a world-class saxophonist, who has a strong storytelling sound. This living legend of Finnish Jazz has worked with such modernists as Edward Vesala, Arild Anderssen, Heikki Sarmanto, Reggie Workman, Andrew Cyrille, and Tomasz Stanko. In 1968 he was awarded with a George Award as the musician of the year from Finnish Jazz Federation. Juhani was one of the original members of the famous UMO big band. He has been creating music for over four decades and feels that he is now at the top of his career.
Klaus Suonsaari (b.1959) is one of the rare Finnish jazz musicians, who has enjoyed a multifaceted, star-studded international career as a performer and composer. He has extensive performing experience with such greats as Joe Henderson, Bob Berg, Jerry Bergonzi, Tom Harrell, Randy Brecker, Toots Thielemans, Ray Drummond, Diana Krall, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, Joe Lovano, and many others. This Artist of the Year Award recipient’s numerous recordings include LaVerne Butler’s No Looking Back with Joe Henderson, Doky Brothers’ Doky Brothers with Curtis Stigers and Randy Brecker, Klaus Suonsaari’s With Every Breath I Take with Geri Allen, and Something Special with Toots Thielemans and David Sanborn. His composition “Big Foot” is featured on critically acclaimed pianist/singer Diana Krall’s Stepping Out and Niels Lan Doky Trio Montmartre’s Scandinavian Reminiscence CDs.
Mikko Iivanainen (b.1975) is the founding member of Nordic Trinity and has also played with Free Control, Loco Motife, Kurkirku and Johanna Iivanainen Band. Mikko`s compositions can be heard on such records as Free Control and Free Control II. He has performed and recorded with Anders Bergcrantz, Ulf Krokfors, Iro Haarla and Tom Nekljudov. He plays in Johanna Iivanainen`s self titled CD, which was nominated for the Emma Award as one of the best Finnish jazz recordings in 2004. Mikko’s talents can also be heard on Loco Motife`s Penguin Beguine. Their CD received the Emma Award for the Best Finnish Jazz Recording in 2005. Mikko has performed in Marocco and in Austria with an international group called Tales.
