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Pekka Pylkkänen

Saxophonist/composer Pekka Pylkkänen has worked with many orchestras and groups during his career and has appeared either as a leader or as a sideman with for example Vince Mendoza, Odean Pope, Dave Liebman, Gene Jackson, Sal La Rocca, Jukkis Uotila, Eric Ineke, etc.

As a leader, he has performed in more than 50 countries (Finland, Denmark, Norway, USA, Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Korea, China and Japan, France, Switzerland, Portugal, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, Singapore, South Africa etc.) He has appeared as a leader/soloist in around 2000 concerts during the last 20 years, most of them outside Finland.

His appearances range from clubs to concert halls and major festivals, such as Hong Kong Jazz Festival, Beijing Jazz Festival, Trondheim Jazz Festival, National Arts Festival (South Africa), Lima Jazz, Providencia Festival de Jazz (Santiago, Chile), Yokohama Jazz Promenade, Yarasum Jazz Festival, Beijing Concert Hall, The Spring Hall (Seoul/Korea), Daegu Cultural Center/Korea, La Pavillion Blanco (Cordoba, Argentina), Beijing Music Festival, Copenhagen Jazz Festival, La Plaza Festival de Jazz (Havana, Cuba).

His first two CDs were released by Naxos Jazz, with a worldwide distribution. The third release, entitled 'Listen!' was released as CD on LUMINO RECORDS label and digitally through Blue Music Group, later also licensed to China on Starsing Records. His next album, ‘Global Unit’ will be released in of 2019, followed by ‘Nu ‘Talian Quartet’ which will be released globally in April 2020 by Challenge Records.

Awards

Jazz Emma prize 1996, Finland (as the producer of 'Big Bad Family' -CD) The official IAJE Award NYC, USA; January 2007 Diploma from the Cultural Ministry of Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2009 Diploma from the Mayor of La Paz, Bolivia, 2005 MOODS Jazz and Blues Awards, Zurich, Switzerland, 2013

Gear

A Vandoren artist. A Ken Okutsu Mouthpiece Artist. A Keilwerth Endorser. Keilwerth SX 90 R Silver Nickel alto saxophone Yanagisawa Solid Silver soprano saxophone Keilwerth SX -90 R Black tenor saxophone Ken Okutsu Mouthpieces Marmaduke Music accessories Muramatsu AD-D flute Trevor James alto flute Yamaha wooden piccolo with a hand -made headjoint Selmer 10 G clarinet Selmer bass clarinet


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Performance / Tour

Naxos Jazz Artist Pekka Pylkkanen at Cornelia Street Cafe on Sunday, January 8th at 8:30.and 10 p.m.

Naxos Jazz Artist Pekka Pylkkanen at Cornelia Street Cafe on Sunday, January 8th at 8:30.and 10 p.m.

Source: All About Jazz

To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Cornelia Street Cafe 29 Cornelia Street Greenwich Village, NY 10014 Tel: 212-989-9319 Fax: 212-243-4207 Web: corneliastreetcafe.com between West 4th and Bleecker Sts, Greenwich Village 1,9 Subway to Sheridan Square; A, C, E, B, D, F to West 4th St. PRESS RELEASE 12/21/05 For Immediate Release NAXOS JAZZ ARTIST PEKKA PYLKKANEN AT CORNELIA STREET CAFE Saxophonist and composer Pekka Pylkkanen from Finland is bringing his group “Tube Factory" to one ...

"The music on this CD is simply great, and I am very happy to see and hear that Pekka has grown into the musician that he is today. He’s created compositions with an elegant complexity that showcases his saxophone playing in a unique and personal way. " Excerpt from liner notes for 'Listen!' by Bob Mintzer, December 2008

"Bro. Catching up and just listened to your CD 'Listen'. Your sound is KILLING!!! Great work!" Dave Liebman, July 2011

" I would like to highly recommend Pekka Pylkkanen for your consideration. He is a world class improviser on the saxophone. His artistry had a big impact on me the first time I heard him. Pekka is able to play on a high level in many musical settings.. his compositional skills are personal and very unique... his understanding of music and his technical ability on the saxophone.. it is obvious that Pekka has spent a lifetime of hard work and dedication to have accomplished so much! " Bob Sheppard, Saxophonist, Recording Artist, Professor at USC

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Primary Instrument

Saxophone

Location

Helsinki

Credentials/Background

As an educator Pekka has worked 7 years as a principal lecturer at the Stadia Helsinki Polytechnic, Pop and Jazz Music Department. Before that, and also while teaching at the Stadia, he has worked as a clinician at Ingesunds Music College in Sweden, EMU Education Musical, Escuela De Musica Contemporanea and Collegium CEIM (all 3 in Argentina), Jazz Peru in Lima, Peru, Shanghai Conservatory, MIDI School Of Music and Contemporary Music Institute, Institute for Performing Arts (all 4 in China), PAN School of Music (Tokyo, Japan) among others. He has also taken part and worked as a teacher on IASJ Jazz Meetings on 2002 in Helsinki and on 2007 in Siena, Italy, as well as performed at the IAJE Conference in New yYork. He is a member of IAJE and ISIM.

Clinic/Workshop Information

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Nu Bottega

Challenge Records
2020

buy

Listen!

Lumino Records
2009

buy

Opaque

Naxos Jazz
2001

buy

Videos

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