JARNO KUKKONEN

Jarno Kukkonen - guitar
Georgios Kontrafouris - Hammond-organ
Jaska Lukkarinen - drums

Trio that plays

The lineup on "Jarno Kukkonen: PRESENT & Absent" consists of three strong individuals. The music is composed by Jarno Kukkonen, who playsthe guitar and leads the band. Hammond organ virtuoso Giorgos Kontrafouris and one of a kind drummer Jaska Lukkarinen have been part of the the band since 2005. The trio performs as "Jarno Kukkonen Present." They are all well established musicians, especially in the Finnish jazz scene. The freedom of trio playing, as well as the excitement of using Giorgos's left hand as the bass player, creates a lot of good energy and gives character for their sound. All three have strong improvisational vocabulary and big open ears for musical playing.

Jarno Kukkonen (born 1964) is currently working as a teacher at the only Finnish music university, Sibelius Academy. Kukkonen did his homework to graduate as a doctor of music in 2005. He's also working as a freelance guitarist and composer/arranger. Since his first radio recordings at the age of fifteen in 1980, he has worked with practically everyone involved on the Finnish jazz scene. He has recorded with Eero Koivistoinen, Jukka Gustavson, Ron McClure, and UMO jazz orchestra, to name a few. He prefers the blues vibe in his playing, and gets a kick out of a right note in the right place.

Giorgos Kontrafouris (born 1966), of Greek origin, has lived in Helsinki, Finland since 2003. By this time, besides being a first-class jazz pianist, he has established himself as a true representative of the jazz organ tradition. He is known throughout Europe, through performances with the likes of Lou Donaldson and Keith Copeland. Jarno's trio gives him the opportunity to create the base for the music and, most importantly, to jam and impovise with similar-minded spirits.

Jaska Lukkarinen (born 1982) has established himself as one of the foremost drummers of the younger generation. His main focus is in jazz,which he has studied at The Sibelius Academy, Helsinki and in The Manhattan School of Music, New York. Besides his activities as a jazz drummer, he is also working with Värttinä - Finland's leading world music group since 1990's. Playing with Jarno and Giorgos, he has the freedom and space to create his personal beat and groove for the band. Also, as the trio's music contains multiple open sections to improvise on and to take solos, Jaska holds no barrels at doing just that.

You can check out the band's schedule of live performances and listen to some musical examples on their myspace-site, www.myspace.com/jarnokukkonenpresent.