The pianist, moog player and composer Kari Ikonen, one of the most original Finnish jazz musicians, performs as UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra’s soloist in the Savoy Theatre on Friday 12th April.

Ikonen plays all his own instruments: the piano, the Rhodes electric piano and the Moog synthesizer. The microtuning system Maqiano, invented, developed and patented by Ikonen, is also part of the setup. It enables pianists to play Arabic maqam modes as well as other microtones.

The concert program contains compositions by Ikonen, with the premiere of a new work in which Ikonen has made use of the Maqiano microtuning system. The work has influences from Arabic music, but according to the composer “it is even more a deep dive into the mystical harmonies and scales of the music cultures of the more distant elliptical galaxies” – we’re in for a most definitely unique evening à la Ikonen!

The programme also contains refreshed versions of Ikonen’s earlier compositions for big band, some of which UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra plays for the first time and almost all of which Ikonen himself performs live for the first time. The conductor is Mikko Hassinen.

– UMO gets to expand its musical spectrum outside the 12-tone system, into the fascinating world of microtonal music. The Maqiano changes the sound of the piano, but UMO will also sound very different, says Kari Ikonen.

”Kari Ikonen is quite an original in today’s jazz panorama.” – New York City Jazz Record

The pianist, moog player and composer Kari Ikonen (b. 1973) is the man behind the ensembles Karikko, Kari Ikonen Trio and Kari Ikonen Quartet Al-Qantara. Ikonen received the Jazz Emma Prize in 2001 and the Finnish Jazz Federation’s respected Yrjö Prize in 2013. He has made around 50 recordings, of which 9 are under his own name. In addition to performing and composing Ikonen is also the artistic director of the Oulu Music Festival and teaches at the Sibelius Academy. www.kariikonen.com

Photo: Maarit Kytöharju