Kari Ikonen

Kari Ikonen (born 1973) is a Finnish pianist, Moog player, and composer. He received the Yrjö-award from Jazz Finland in 2013, as the Finnish Jazz Musician of the Year. After having studied piano with Matti Laukkanen for four years (1989–1993) at Jyväskylä Institute of Music, Ikonen continued his studies 1994 in piano and later in composition at the Jazz Music Department of Sibelius Academy, with such teachers as Jarmo Savolainen, Jukkis Uotila, Anders Jormin, Maria Schneider, Mike Gibbs, Sonny Heinilä and Olli Kortekangas. He also spent a semester in 1996 at the Rotterdam conservatorium, where he studied with Rob van Kreevelt. He got his master's degree from Sibelius Academy in 2001. He led the band Karikko for close to 15 years and was active in bands such as Gnomus, Mia Simanainen's Ahava-band, Slo Motive and Markus Holkko Quartet. In addition to many small jazz groups, Ikonen has composed music to European Saxophone Ensemble, UMO Jazz Orchestra, The Guards Brass Septet, Jyväskylä Big Band, Tanguedia Quintet, Quinteto Otra Vez and Uusinta!-chamber orchestra. Ikonen has worked with Louis Sclavis, Lee Konitz, Ingrid Jensen, Bob Moses, Stan Sultzman, Vincent Courtois, Mathias Eick, UMO, Juhani Aaltonen, Eero Koivistoinen, and Otto Donner.Ikonen's playing and/or compositions can be heard on more than 40 records. Apart from playing and composing, Ikonen has worked as a teacher at Jyväskylä Institute of Music 1993–1994, Estonia Academy of Music and Theater 2007–2011 and Sibelius Academy since 1998. He is active with Kari Ikonen Trio, Trio Toffa, Quartet Ajaton, Jeff Denson Trio and Orchestra Nazionale della Luna.