Jarmo Savolainen (b. 24.5.1961) is recognised as being one of the selected members of Finland's jazz piano and keyboard elite. He comes from Central Finland, where he studied classical piano and played in local bands, inspired by the music of Chick Corea and Keith Jarrett. Like many other top Finnish jazz players, he then proceeded to the Berklee College of Music in Boston to continue his studies.Jarmo Savolainen is a versatile composer and has written jazzworks for various line-ups, from solo piano to big band. He has also composed music for the stage, dance groups, TV programmes and the screen.His idiom, while tending towards the modernist tradition, is coloured by adistinctive feel for nuance and an intellectual approach that is far from being academic and dry.Savolainen the keyboard player is one of the most sought after musicians in Finland to play anything ranging from rock to modern concert music. One of his great assets is in fact his superb musicianship, which is immediately apparent from his natural, unforced music. And the performer of Savolainen's works must combine a highly sophisticated sense of harmony andanalysis with the unfailing instinct of the born musician. As a sign ofthis, Savolainen received the annual Georgie Award of the Finnish Jazz Federation in 1994. Jarmo Savolainen has also made a name for himself outside his native Finland. He made his first international solo record in New Yorkwith some leading local musicians on the Dutch Timeless label at the beginning of the decade. Since then he has released five international albums on the Dutch A-Records label.UMO Jazz Orchestra 1982-87 Jukkis Uotila 1983-86Pekka Pohjola 1987-92Espoo Big Band 1991-The Baltic Quartet 1996-UMO Jazz-Orchestra: "Transit People" Naxos-Jazz 86067-2 Finnforest: Demon Nights (1979)Markku Johansson & Friends (1988)Eero Koivistoinen: Kallista on... (1988)Antero Jakoila: La Morena(1991), Guitar (1993) and Guitar
Tangos (1995)UMO Jazz Orchestra: Plays BAT Jazz in Finland (1992)Jukka Linkola: Sketches from Karelia (1992)Jukka Linkola: The Tentet (1994)UMO plays New Finnish Music (Naxos-Jazz 86010-2 1998)Zone (Soul Note Klaus Suonsaari: Something in Common (Storyville Records STCD-4218 1998) UMO plays Electric Miles: (A-Records, AL-73153, Nov. 2nd 1998).A-Records All-Stars: "edition 2000" (AL-73200, Scott Tinkler-tpt, Dave Pietro, sax etc., May 2000.Jukkis Uotila: "Hunters and Gatherers" (DoubleTime Records, DTRCD-16970, Dave Liebman, sax, Anders Jormin-bass) Sept. 2000.UMO Jazz Orchestra - "Transit People" Naxos Records, 2001. Suhkan Uhka - "Suhka" TUM Records, TUM CD 001, 2003.
Antti Rissanen&Ted Trimble - "Nordic Project", Munich Records, BMCD 417