The trio combines modern and traditional jazz, an unparalleled acoustic experience!
Pianist Riitta Paakki has become known as a sensitive and listening jazz pianist. She began her studies at the Lahti Music Institute. In addition to the basic classical repertoire, her open-minded teacher allowed her to practise popular and pop music.
Playing in the Lahti Big Band introduced her to the basic jazz repertoire in high school and led her to the jazz department of the Sibelius Academy. Paakki received her PhD in jazz music in 2016 for Herbie Hancock’s piano solos on Wayne Shorter’s 1964 album Speak No Evil.
Paakki has played in the UMO jazz orchestra and has performed and recorded with many of Finland’s leading jazz musicians. One of her ensembles is All About Eve, a group of female musicians. In addition to making music, Paakki teaches jazz piano at the Sibelius Academy and at Espoo’s pop/jazz college Ebel. The Finnish Jazz Federation awarded Paakki the Yrjö Prize in 2019.
In the Lux Musicae concert, Paakki will be joined on stage by Antti Lötjönen and Joonas Riippa.
Bassist Antti Lötjönen experimented with many instruments before choosing bass as his main instrument. He was inspired by the virtuoso Jaco Pastorius. Lötjönen masters many musical genres and is a trusted bassist in several ensembles, including the Ilmiliekki Quartet and Verneri Pohjola’s ensembles.
Drummer Joonas Riippa is also a Sibelius Academy graduate. Riippa has gained a reputation as an energetic and quick-reacting musician who can also improvise freely alongside basic jazz combo playing. These skills he has honed especially with Verneri Pohjola.
