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Timo Lassy

Saxophonist-composer-bandleader Timo Lassy is a household name in his domestic Finland. Having worked as a sought-after freelance saxophonist already during his studies at Sibelius Academy and Amsterdam Conservatory he was amongst the new generation of Finnish musicians who formed The Five Corners Quintet known for bringing jazz back to the dancefloor reaching a large audience around the globe.

For the past decade Timo Lassy has concentrated on his solo career mainly playing with his long time associated known as Timo Lassy Band, “one of Europe’s sharpest bands” according to the Sunday Times UK and “quality swinging jazz with a difference” (Gilles Peterson). Five incredible albums – and a superb collaboration with José James – later Lassy presented the EP “When The Devils’s Paid” in 2017. The song written by Timo features Brazilian giant Ed Motta on vocals.

Award winning album “Moves”, his sixth solo album, is a result of Timo Lassy’s musical path so far and takes a bold step into the future. It reflects all the elements that have made his sound so far – from 60s Soul and Latin Jazz to soulful Vocal Jazz – and briskly moves in a modern direction, encompasses electronic sounds and even Hip Hop with Finnish rap-legend Paleface. Featured on the album are a saxophone legend Eero Koivistoinen and Ricky-Tick Big Band Brass with whom he also performs regularly. Released as gatefold double LP “Moves” won the Emma award (Finnish Grammy) for Jazz album of the year in 2018 and it was also nominated for “Jazz Album of the Year” at Gilles Peterson Worlwide FM Awards 2019.

Continuing collaboration with both Finnish and international musicians he has also been composed two unique orchestral suites as a soloist: Kerkko Koskinen: “American miniature horse” (premiered 2017 – Lahti Sinfonietta conducted by Dima Slobodeniouk) and Valtteri Laurell Pöyhönen: “A Nocturnal Affair” (premiered 2014 – Umo Jazz Orchestra).

As a composer Timo Lassy has produced music to both feature film and documentaries such as Postilokero 347 – Pikku Kakkosen tarina (2017), Ei kiitos (2014), Moomins on Riviera (2014) and My Stuff (2013)

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8
Album Review

Nicola Conte: Umoja

Read "Umoja" reviewed by Chris May


Nicola Conte continues on his journey from acid-jazz bohemian to spiritual-jazz sophisticate with this immaculately hip album, fronted on half of its tracks by London-based soul-jazz divas Zara McFarlane and Bridgette Amofah. Conte began his trajectory with the acid-jazz template Jet Sounds (Schema, 2000), boosted it with Jet Sounds Revisited (Schema, 2002) and, after a brief post-hard-bop detour with Other Directions (Blue Note, 2004), began the spiritual-jazz ascent which has in 2023 reached its new, lofty apogee with ...

26
Album Review

Timo Lassy and Teppo Mäkynen: Live Recordings 2019-2020

Read "Live Recordings 2019-2020" reviewed by Friedrich Kunzmann


The Finnish pairing of Timo Lassy and Teppo Mäkynen belongs to the kind of collaborations where one really doesn't know what to expect next, but that whatever it is, it's bound to be quite extraordinary. Both respected leaders in their own right and busy musicians in contexts that reach far beyond the boundaries of jazz, the two appear to be at their best when performing together. This collection of live material, recorded at We Jazz Festival, Porvoo Jazz Festival and ...

3
Album Review

Timo Lassy: In with Lassy

Read "In with Lassy" reviewed by Anthony Shaw


Timo Lassy is one of the not-quite-so-young generation of Finnish musicians to have risen thru the ranks of the generous local system of music education, starting out as a toddler on piano, and gravitating in his early teens to saxophone. He cut his teeth in Amsterdam at the end of the old century and since returning home has been involved in the front line of modern Finnish jazz, first with the U-Street All Stars and more spectacularly with the Five ...

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Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Umoja

Far Out Recordings
2023

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Live Recordings...

We Jazz Records
2021

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Teddy The Sweeper /...

Ricky-Tick Records
2012

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In with Lassy

Schema Records
2012

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The More I Look At...

Ricky-Tick Records
2009

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Round Two

Ricky-Tick Records
2009

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