October 2015 - Touring Australia - Melbourne - Sydney - Cairns - Canberra
IIRO RANTALA (Finland)
After touring the world for 18 years leading Trio Töykeät, Finnish jazz piano virtuoso Iiro Rantala
is refreshingly still at the forefront of international pianism, and in
2011 released his debut solo album 'Lost Heroes' on the German ACT
label, which was received in Europe with wide acclaim winning the annual
German Record Critics Award, as well as the 'Echo Jazz' prize,
Germany's most important music award. In Oct 2012 IIRO released his
second ACT album 'My History of Jazz' with both solo and in Trio
performances with Swedish bassist Lars Danielsson, Danish drummer Morten
Lund, and special guest from Poland violinist Adam Baldych, and in
March 2014 IIRO released his String Trio album 'Anyone with a heart'
also on the ACT label - www.actmusic.com/en/Artists/Iiro-Rantala
Iiro Rantala is an energetic keyboard lion, who
crosses music genres and styles with flair and excitement, playing at
his exhilarating and adventurous best. Zany, unconventional and
occasionally wicked, yet always entertaining and uncompromising. iiro
Rantala is among the most internationally visible Finnish musicians, and
is second to none when it comes to unsurpassed keyboard technique and
flaring showmanship. Since starting his career over 25 years ago he has
performed in 50 countries including a number of times in Australia and
in different formations released 15 albums.
The October 2015 Iiro Rantala John Lennon Project:
In October 2015 Iiro will release his next (4th on ACT) album: "Working
Class Hero". It is the music of John Lennon, arranged for solo piano
(Iiro style). On the 9th of October 2015, John Lennon would have been
75-years old. The album release will encompass one of the biggest
European tours for Iiro so far in the first half of October 2015, in the
larger concert halls including the Köln Philharmonie and Iiro's visit
to Australia will also be build around this program. The program will
include hit songs from Lennon solo albums Beatles hits in Rantala's
"style" of piano improvisations.
"A virtuoso who raises versatility to another level, Iiro's a hero." - The Evening Standard (UK)
"A virtually unbroken torrent of in-your-face virtuosity, leavened
with a delicious sense of humour and a daring eclecticism" - The
Dominion (NZ)
"His playing to put it mildly is virtuoso. One must perhaps go all
the way back to Franz Liszt to find the same kind of virtuosity. At
least there is lots of romanticism in Rantala." - Berlingske Tidene
(Copenhagen)
Out of Finland and coming to you! The Classical violin
and Jazz piano Duo of our decade: Pekka Kuusisto and
Iiro Rantala. Meet these two internationally renowned
virtuosi and let them with their cunning charm and cheek put
the Tango fire in your heart! Pekka and Iiro have
individually toured Australia many times – Pekka with the
Symphony Orchestras – Iiro with Trio Töykeät and solo - rank
among the highest rated musicians in musical Finland and
indeed the world, and they do so because of two reasons:
They are both top-notch instrumentalists but are not afraid
to constantly seek new grounds for expression. Their duo
collaboration submerges into the world of Tango by means
familiar from the hay days of jazz.
“He’s a huge, charismatic talent.
Let’s see more of him.” Richard Morrison, The Times,
February 2007
“Lending his wayward genius to all this was the guest
solo violinist, Pekka Kuusisto. What an extraordinary sound
he makes, tremulous as a reed, often folk-like in its
flatness, and yet so expressive.” The Telegraph, February 2010
“Other highlights are the gorgeous romancing of the
Cantabile, the effortlessly sweet-singing Sonata in A and
the heroic Tarantella, originally for violin and orchestra:
here Kuusisto really shows his violinistic mettle with some
impeccable double-stopped spiccato and frenzied,
stratospheric twirling.”
The Strad, February 2010
“The brilliant 31-year-old, playing with seemingly
effortless élan and brilliance, brings a breath of fresh air
into the concert hall… [He] is an artist of huge enthusiasm,
energy and imagination, qualities that he transmits to those
around him and the result, at this concert, was an evening
of magical, vibrant music-making, given by players who were
loving what they were doing – and showing it... The drama
and brilliance of Kuusisto’s playing was breathtaking”
Irish Examiner, March 2007
Iiro Rantala
"....romantic-classical strivings
in which his famed, composing country man Sibelius
was so good, and with that shakes his head above the
keys as a keyboard lion of the Horowitz type...."
Jacob Haagsma - Leeuwarder Courant - Holland
"...His playing to put it mildly is
virtuoso. One must perhaps go all the way back to Franz
Liszt to find the same kind of virtuosity. At least there is
lots of romanticism in Rantala."
Kjeld Fransden, Berlingske Tidene, Copenhagen
"Pianist Iiro Rantala is a real keyboard
lion. That he sees the grand piano particularly also as a
toy, appears in the many jokes in compositions lie 'Another
Ragtime, 'Unfinnish Tango' and 'Hömppa Humppa'"
Frans van Leeuwen - NCR Handelsblad - Holland
"Iiro Rantala is a pianistic sensation who
makes the strongest case I know to believe in reincarnation
because his pianistic technique and musical sensitivity
speak of depths which appear impossible to have been
achieved in this lifetime alone...."
Gil Goldstein, pianist and arranger, New York City.
Pekka Kuusisto Bio
Iiro Rantala Bio
Duo Bio
(photo: Lauri Salo)
TOUR
DATES 2011
Fri 29 April: NSW Sydney: Musica Viva International
Music Festival - Sydney Conservatorium -
www.musicaviva.com.au - Duo concert Sat 30 April: WA Mandurah Performing Arts Centre:
Iiro Rantala -
www.manpac.com.au - Solo piano Sun 01 May: WA Perth The Ellington Jazz Club:
Iiro Rantala -
www.ellingtonjazz.com.au/- Solo piano Mon 02 May: WA Perth Perth Jazz Society -
www.perthjazzsociety.com/ - Duo concert Tue 03 May: WA - Albany Entertainment Centre -
www.albanyentertainment.com.au - Duo concert Thu 05 May: QLD - Brisbane Powerhouse -
www.brisbanepowerhouse.org - Duo concert Fri 06 May: NSW - Sydney - Finnish Society -
Leichardt Italian Forum Cultural Centre -
FSS-Paivi@finnsinsydney.org.au - Duo concert Sat 07 May: NSW Griffith Performing Arts Centre -
www.griffithregionaltheatre.com - Duo concert Sun 08 May: VIC Melbourne: Bennetts Lane Jazz Club -
www.bennettslane.com - Melbourne Jazz Co-op -
www.mjc.org.au - Duo concert Mon 09 - Fri 13 May: VIC Melbourne: ANAM - Australia
National Academy of Music -
www.anam.com.au- workshops and collaborations Wed 11 May: VIC - Melbourne Paris Cat Jazz Club -
www.pariscat.com.au - Duo concert Thu 12 May: VIC Melbourne: Bennetts Lane Jazz Club -
www.bennettslane.com - Duo concert Fri 13 May: VIC Melbourne: ANAM - Australia National
Academy of Music -
www.anam.com.au - collaborate and Duo concert - 3
Finnish sets Sat 14 May: VIC - Melbourne Finnish Society Altona -
finnglish1@optusnet.com.au - afternoon children's
concert - evening Duo concert Sun 15 May: ACT Canberra International Music Festival
-
www.cimf.org.au - Duo concert
After touring the world for 18 years with Trio Töykeät,
Finnish jazz piano virtuoso Iiro Rantala is
refreshingly still at the forefront of international
pianism. The energetic keyboard lion crosses musical genres
and styles with ease and excitement, playing at his
exhilarating and adventurous best. Definitely entertaining,
zany,unconventional and occasionally wicked, yet always
uncompromising. Iiro Rantala is among the most
internationally visible Finnish jazz musicians, and is
second to none when it comes to unsurpassable keyboard
technique and flaring showmanship. The pianist first became
infected by music in the children's choir Cantores Minores
at the age of seven and soon afterwards was already taking
piano lessons. Iiro Rantala is best known as the
founder and pianist of Trio Töykeät, Finland's most famous
jazz group, which became one of the biggest success stories
in Finnish jazz. Töykeät gave over 2,500 performances in 60
countries between 1988 and 2006, and released 8 albums - a
formidable achievement. The development ofIiro
Rantala as a creative pianistic improvisor has been one of
the most astonishing phenomena in the Finnish music world,
and he has been the winner of all major jazz awards in
Finland during his 22 year career.
Youn Sun Nah is Korea's rising vocal star - a most formidable, versatile and higly celebrated vocalist with a wide ranging and
original repertoire. She has just recorded (for April '09 international release on the German ACT label) her beautiful new album called
'Voyage', together with Swedish guitarist Ulf Wakenius and other brilliant Nordic musicians.: As the jazz world welcomes more
female singers, Youn Sun Nah continues to stand out from the rest. With the support of a talented group of musicians,
she has succeeded in making her mark on the jazz scene, despite being outside the typical promotional circuit.
Who is she and how does she define her music? She likes to say that her group’s music is a manifestation of the best
in jazz - free, without borders, constantly evolving - and drawing inspiration from French chanson, pop, and contemporary music.
Youn Sun Nah is a remarkable and most enchanting jazz vocalist from Korea but with a French connection and
cabaret-chanson style vocals, who since the mid nineties has made a most significant mark on the French/European and Korean/Asian jazz scene.
(photos: Maarit Kytöharju)
"....romantic-classical strivings
in which his famed, composing country man Sibelius
was so good, and with that shakes his head above the
keys as a keyboard lion of the Horowitz type...."
Jacob Haagsma - Leeuwarder Courant - Holland
"...His playing to put it mildly is
virtuoso. One must perhaps go all the way back to Franz
Liszt to find the same kind of virtuosity. At least there is
lots of romanticism in Rantala."
Kjeld Fransden, Berlingske Tidene, Copenhagen
"Pianist Iiro Rantala is a real keyboard
lion. That he sees the grand piano particularly also as a
toy, appears in the many jokes in compositions lie 'Another
Ragtime, 'Unfinnish Tango' and 'Hömppa Humppa'"
Frans van Leeuwen - NCR Handelsblad - Holland
"Iiro Rantala is a pianistic sensation who
makes the strongest case I know to believe in reincarnation
because his pianistic technique and musical sensitivity
speak of depths which appear impossible to have been
achieved in this lifetime alone...."
Gil Goldstein, pianist and arranger, New York City.
"When I first heard the Trio Toykeat play
I was totally bowled over...knocked out. I immediately
recommended them for work...and also started hiring them...
then they started hiring me! Iiro Rantala is one of the
best musicians I have ever known. A RARE talent!"
Lew Soloff, trumpeter, New York City
Current Biography
CHRISTMAS 2010 TOUR
DATES
12 Dec: Mapo Arts Center, Seoul,
Korea 20-21 Dec: EBS-TV Show, Seoul,
Korea 22-23 Dec: Geumjeong Cultural Arts Center, Seoul,
Korea 24-25 Dec: Gunpo Culture & Art Center, Seoul, Korea
2009 - Australia, New Zealand, China
IIRO RANTALA NEW TRIO
Virtuoso Finnish pianist/composer Iiro Rantala returns to
Australia for the 8th time in January'08 and now with his
IIRO RANTALA NEW TRIO to the Sydney Festival - with rising
guitar star MARZI NYMAN and extaordinary beatboxer FELIX
ZENGER. IIRO is best known as the founder and pianist of Trio
Töykeät, Finland's internationally best known jazz ensemble,
which has given over 2,500 performances in nearly 60
countries, recorded for Blue Note, and visiting Australia on
six occasions. Now with fast new rhythms, startingly original
music and distinctive musical voices, the IIRO RANTALA NEW
TRIO is jazz at its exhilarating and adventurous best:
definitely entertaining, zany, witty, beautiful, technically
brilliant, unconventional, occasionally wicked, but always
uncompromising. Iiro Rantala is a piano sensation, who
confidently and zanily crosses all musical boundaries, and
has performed in small and large ensembles, solo and with
symphony orchestras, and early in 2006 released his very own
piano concerto with the Tapiola Sinfonietta. His extensive
discography includes the eight discs of Trio Töykeät (G'Day,
Jazzlantis, Sisu, Kudos, Music!, High Standards, Wake and One
Night in Tampere Live).
Sun - 2 Aug: Australia/Brisbane - Queensland
Music Festival - Tivoli Theatre - www.qmf.org.au Tue/Wed - 4/5 Aug: NZ/Christchurch -
Christchurch Arts Festival -
www.artsfestival.co.nz Frid/Sat - 7/8
August - Singapore - SouthBridge Jazz Club Mon 10 Aug - China/Shanghai - www.southbridgejazz.com.sg
Melbourne &
Perth, February 2007
Iiro Rantala
- Piano virtuosity from Finland -
Virtuoso 36 year old Finnish pianist/composer Iiro
Rantala returns to Australia for the seventh time
with performances of both classical (Bach) and a jazz trio
concerts at the Perth Festival and in Melbourne. Iiro is best
known as the founder and pianist of Trio Töykeät, Finland's
internationally most famous jazz ensemble which has given
over 2,500 performances in 50 different countries, recorded
for Blue Note, and visited Australia on six occasions.
Rantala is a piano sensation, who confidently and zanily
crosses all musical genres, while exploring the boundaries
between these genres. He has appeared with symphony
orchestras, and early in 2006 he released his very own piano
concerto with the Tapiola Sinfonietta. His extensive
discography includes the seven discs of Trio Töykeät (G'Day,
Jazzlantis, Sisu, Kudos, High Standards, Music! and Wake).
In Melbourne Rantala will collaborate with Melbourne bassist
Ben Robertson and drummer Dave Beck. Perth performances
presented by the Perth International Arts
Festival. Melbourne performance presented in
association with Martin Jackson and the Melbourne
Jazz Co-op.
