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Riitta Paakki Quartet
25.4.2022 @ 19:00 - 20:30
Villa Hakasalmi
Riitta Paakki: piano, Manuel Dunkel: saxophone, Antti Lötjönen: double bass, Joonas Riippa: drums
The music of the Riitta Paakki Quartet has irresistibly effortless swing, expressively catching melodies and varied chordal landscapes. It combines Paakki’s clear playing style, Dunkel’s strong and nuanced sound and the bubbling rhythm section formed by Lötjönen and Riippa. The combination is perfect for Paakki’s compositions, which have room for the creative vision of every musician. The quartet’s ensemble playing radiates the joy of music, which is conveyed to the audience.
Riitta Paakki and her band never show off. They work together admirably well, delivering a delightful musical experience. -fmq.fi, Marita Nyrhinen, 8.4.2021
Riitta Paakki’s album Piste, released in 2020, was an Emma Award nominee for Jazz Abum of the Year and was rated five stars by Helsingin Sanomat.
… Studio recording Piste may be Paakki’s peak so far, especially as a composer – again the second soloist of the works is saxophonist Manuel Dunkel, who is perfectly suited to his modernist style. -HS, Harri Uusitorppa, 26.1.2021
Riitta Paakki is a respected pianist, composer and conductor. The Finnish Jazz Association awarded her the Yrjö Prize in 2019.
Paakki’s real strength is as a composer, creating fresh originals that sound like they could be standards – and maybe someday will be. -Jazz Journal, Wif Stenger, 10.10.2021
Photo: Sakari Puhakka
The concert is supported by City of Helsinki, Svenska Kulturfonden and The Finnish Music Foundation.
