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KIMMO POHJONEN OFFICIAL WEBSITE
News
2008
Oct 7: Kluster tour of Portugal
Kimmo Pohjonen Kluster will return to Portugal for a short tour in October 2008. Pohjonen's Kluster partner for this tour (replacing Samuli Kosminen) is Juuso Hannukainen, known for his work with RinneRadio and other adventurous Finnish artists. Tour dates include: Oct 30: Aveiro - Teatro Averirense, Nov 1: Lisboa - Museu de Oriente and Nov 2: Oporto - Casa de Musica.
Sept 18: Earth Machine Music in London on October 3
Kimmo Pohjonen returns to London for a performance on October 3 at venue Café 1001 for the contemporary music / arts series Concrete and Glass. Concrete and Glass is a unique event curated by Tom Baker of Eat Your Own Ears showcasing some of the best in music and contemporary art. A wide array of artists will perform in over seventeen venues all within nine minutes walk from the epicentre of the festival, Rough Trade East off Brick Lane.
Pohjonen’s performance will be a unique, collaborative event, created especially for Concrete and Glass. Pohjonen’s hugely successful Earth Machine Music tour of UK in May, 2008, featured Pohjonen performing with farmers and their machines. This show will be adapted for the London indoor stage and will feature appearances by special guest farmers and their farm equipment from the May tour. Additionally, lights will be designed by London’s own Charlie Russell, known for his work with Caribou and Fourtet and as Lighting Designer for specialist company Insight Lighting and alternative art and live music venue Scala.
Sept 7: KTU successful concerts in Kazan, Moscow, Helsinki
KTU had successful concerts in Kazan with about 50000 people in their audience. The Moscow concert at B1, part of the "King Crimson Festival", drew over 2000 and was perhaps the best live performance in KTU's career. The Tavastia concert in Helsinki was another big success, reviewed by Stalker.. Check tour fotos on KTU MySpace slideshow. Check Moscow fotos by Lana Maykovskaya and at Lenta.ru.
Aug 25: New Pohjonen music in Helsinki dance premiere
Kimmo Pohjonen has composed and recorded new music for the dance performance "Veri Nousee Päähän". Choreographer is Marjaterttu Willman and the premiere performance is 12.9.2008 at Itä-Helsingin Kulttuurikeskus, Itäkeskus.
Aug 19: KTU performances in Russia and Helsinki
KTU (Pohjonen, Gunn, Mastelotto) will make two concerts in Russia followed by a concert at Tavastia in Helsinki.:
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Aug 30 Sotvorenie Mira (Creation Of Peace) Festival, Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia - Fair Square. Other artists include Patti Smith, Adrian Belew Power Trio, Justin Adams, Geoffrey Oryema,Fairport Convention and others. Estimated audience 100,000.
- Sept 3: Moscow - B1 club (KTU, Adrian Belew Power Trio and Eddie Jobson. "King Crimson Festival")
- Sept 4: Helsinki - Tavastia.
Following the Tavastia date, KTU will enter Seawolf Studios, Helsinki to mix their next album.
Aug 16: Earth Machine Music performances in Rämsöö
Kimmo Pohjonen's Earth Machine Music was performed in two sold out concerts in Rämsöö, Finland on August 16 and 17 as part of the Motor Music Festival. Rämsöö is the site of the first Earth Machine Music concert in 2006. Earth Machine Music features Pohjonen performing live with farmers and their farm machines, using live accordion, live machine sounds and sampled machine sounds reproduced via accordion. Also in the event was the Konela performance by Samuli Kosminen and Jukka Perko. Stalker web magazine has a report and fotos. Mikki Kunttu was also on hand to take some fotos.
Aug 5: KTU fotos from Sines
KTU's concert at FMM, Sines, Portugal on July 25 was a success with a sellout crowd of 7000 people. Mario Pires took some excellent fotos.
May 25: Earth Machine Music UK tour a success
Kimmo Pohjonen's Earth Machine Music tour of UK (May 11-17) was a resounding success. Reviews: EADT, Seen and Heard. To see a foto slideshow of the tour, visit Kimmo Pohjonen MySpace.
May 5: Kimmo Pohjonen Earth Machine Music press previews
Kimmo Pohjonen's Earth Machine Music tour of UK (May 11-17) has received advance press previews from The Telegraph, on the Telegraph website and on video.
May 1 : Kimmo Pohjonen Sydney Festival audio recordings
Kimmo Pohjonen's concert and public appearances at the Sydney Festival has been documented by ABC Radio. Into the Music features audio recording of Pohjonen and Iiro Rantala in a discussion with the public and moderator, festival artistic director Fergus Linahan. Radio prgram Music Deli featuring host Paul Petran has the audio recording of the Pohjonen concert on their Music Deli website. These recordings will be accessible until approximately May 28th.
April 1: Kimmo Pohjonen's Earth Machine Music
Kimmo Pohjonen will take his Earth Machine Music project on a tour of UK from May 11-17, 2008. Earth Machine Music features new Pohjonen works inspired by four UK farms, using sampled material from agricultural machines – ranging from tractors, milking machines and threshers - and local farmers ‘playing’ some of the machines alongside Pohjonen in each farm. The tour is organized by Sound UK.
Tour dates:
Sunday, May 11: BURY ST EDMUNDS FESTIVAL, Hall Farm, Nowton
Tuesday, May 13: WEST SUSSEX, Manor Farm, Cocking
Thursday, May 15: NORTH DEVON Westcott Barton, Middle Marwood, Nr Barnstaple
Saturday, May 17: OXFORDSHIRE Park Farm, North Aston
A documentary film of Earth Machine Music will be made by Koskela Art and Media House.
Feb 4: Pohjonen in Estonian Anniversary Celebration
Kimmo Pohjonen will be the guest performer at the Concert of the 90th Anniversary of Estonian Republic in Tallinn, on February 24th. The concert will take place at the Estonian National Opera and will feature Pohjonen performing one piece with the Tallinn Philharmonic Chamber Choir, Tallinn Chamber Orchestra and soloists. Conductor: Tõnu Kaljuste, Director: Peeter Jalakas, Video installations: Ville Hyvönen .
Feb 1: Pohjonen in Zurich and Köln
Just back from successful concerts in Sydney and Moscow, Kimmo Pohjonen performs solo for the first time in Zurich, Switzerland, at Moods on February 9. He has previously performed Swiss shows in Zug and Stans. On February 15, Kimmo Pohjonen Kluster and Proton String Quartet perform Uniko at Köln Philharmonie. The group has had successful concerts in Estonia, Finland and Macau and this is their first concert this year. Plans are underway for more concerts abroad. .
Jan 18: Pohjonen at Sydney Festival
Kimmo Pohjonen will perform at Sydney Festival on January 18th at City Recital Hall. This is Pohjonen’s first performance in Australia and will be a solo concert with Jukka Kaven – sound design and Ari “Valo” Virtanen” – light design. Other performers in the festival include Brian Wilson, Björk, Joanna Newsom, Sufjan Stevens. Following Sydney, Pohjonen wil perform solo in Moscow at IKRA Club on January 28 and in Zurich, Switzerland at Moods on February 9.
2007
Nov. 8: Pohjonen and Kuoppamäki 2005 rehearsal video
A video recording of Kimmo Pohjonen and Sami Kuoppamäki rehearsing for their appearance at Patti Smith's Meltdown Festival in London, 2005, the"Songs of Experience" evening, is now on-line. The rehearsal video was recorded in Helsinki by Kimmo Koskela, at Kaapelitehdas, Helsinki, spring 2005.
July 16 : Announcing Uniko concerts in Helsinki, New York and Macau in Autumn 2007
Kimmo Pohjonen Kluster and string quartet will perform “Uniko” in five concerts this autumn.
“Uniko”, the composition by Kimmo Pohjonen and Samuli Kosminen, was first performed with Kronos Quartet at the Helsinki Festival and in Moscow in September 2004, then again in Molde Jazz Festival in 2005. The work was performed by Kluster with Proton String Quartet in Leigo, Estonia in 2006.
On September 25, 2007, “Uniko” makes its Helsinki return at Savoy Theatre, Helsinki with Proton String Quartet.
On October 3,5 and 6, “Uniko” makes its North American premiere with Kronos Quartet and three concerts at Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York.
On October 25, Kluster with Proton String Quartet will perform at Macau International Arts festival.
Kimmo Pohjonen Kluster:
Kimmo Pohjonen – accordion, voice
Juuso Hannukainen – accordion samples, string samples (in Helsinki and Macau)
or Samuli Kosminen - accordion samples, string samples (in New York)
with
Proton String Quartet:
Teppo Ali-Mattila - violin
Siiri Rasta – violin
Riitta-Liisa Ristiluoma – viola
Veli-Matti Iljin – cello
with
Heikki Iso-Ahola – sound engineer, surround sound design
Mikki Kunttu – light and video design
July 15 : KTU trio in Slovakia and Spain
KTU trio (Pohjonen, Gunn, Mastelotto) will perform at Pohoda Festival in Trencin, Slovakia on July 20th followed by Etnosur Festival in Jaen, Spain on July 21.
May 21: Pohonen MySpace
Kimmo Pohjonen MySpace page is now online. Please visit and be a friend!
April 15: Majak film premiere in Russia
The Russian film Majak, featuring original music composed by Kimmo Pohjonen, will premiere in Moscow on April 24 and will be shown in cinemas in Russia starting May 3rd.
March 25: KTU in America
KTU trio (Pohjonen, Gunn, Mastelotto) returned from their first American tour. Particularly noteworthy events included packed houses in Toronto and New York, Much Music TV interview in Toronto and a studio recording at KUT-FM in Austin. Other highlights included a tremendous reception at the Drum Pad/Durty Nellie's concert in Chicago and truly phenomenal response to the two shows in Mexico City. The band also did some studio recordings of new material in Zone Studios in Dripping Springs, Texas..To hear the KUT-FM radio recording, with performance and interview. click here
Feb 4: Pohjonen and Kosminen win Jussi Award
Kimmo Pohjonen and Samuli Kosminen won the Finnish Jussi Award, Best Filmscore of 2006, for their composition of the music for the Finnish film Jade Warrior. The Jussi Awards are the Finnish equivalent of the American Oscar Awards.
Jan 8, 2007: KTU to record and tour
Kimmo Pohjonen, Trey Gunn and Pat Mastelotto will tour Finland and America as a limited edition KTU trio and will rehearse and record new material in Helsinki and Austin. Fourth member of the group, Samuli Kosminen, will take a break from KTU activities during Spring but will rejoin the band for summer concerts and further recordings. The American tour includes four dates as part of the Music Export Finland Finnish Moosic Tour. Dates as follows:
Finnish tour dates 2007:
Jan 29: Helsinki, Finland - Tavastia
Jan 30: Tampere, Finland - Klubi
Jan 31: Jyväskylä, Finland - Lutakko
North American Tour dates 2007:
March 7: Los Angeles, California - Knitting Factory
March 9: Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Canadian Music Week
March 12: NYC, NY - Knitting Factory
March 14: Austin, Texas - SXSW
March 20: Chicago (Palatine), IL – Drum Pad Presents @ Durty Nellie’s
March 22: Mexico City, Mexico - Festival de México en el Centro Histórico
March 23: Mexico City, Mexico - Festival de México en el Centro Histórico
2006
Nov 14: Pohjonen wins Gus Viseur Prize
Kimmo won the Gus Viseur Prize for accordion in Paris, France today. The award is given annually by an academy of ten including president Stephane Sanseverino and other prominent members of the French musical community.
Oct 20: Kalmuk Music in Jorma Uotinen World Premiere
Finnish choreographer Jorma Uotinen presents the World Premiere of his new ballet, Colours, in Helsinki at the Finnish National Opera on October 27, featuring Kimmo Pohjonen's work Kalmuk (with Tapiola Sinfonietta) in its entirety, in 5.1 surround sound. Info
Oct 13: Jade Warrior album
The album "Music Inspired by Jade Warrior" was released in Finland by Helsinki Music Company. It features four pieces by Kimmo Pohjonen / Samuli Kosminen Kluster, direct from the filmscore composed by Pohjonen/Kosminen. It also includes other songs inspired buy the film by artists such as HIM, Bleak, Ana Johnsson, The Crash.
Oct 12: Pohjonen music in Lisa Torun dance performance
Kimmo Pohjonen has composed music for the Swedish choreographer Lisa Torun and her new program performance "Chez Mamselle". Included in the program is a film by Derek Nisbet with music by Pohjonen. Music performed by Musica Vitae chamber orchestra, also includes music by Arvo Pärt and Aulis Sallinen. The premiere is on October 20 in Malmö, Sweden with a Swedish tour to follow. More information at Lisa Torun website.
Oct 9: Keskusteluja premiere on Oct 12
The Helsinki premiere of Keskusteluja, a "new circus" performance conceived by Ville Walo and Kalle Hakkarainen, featuring music by Kimmo Pohjonen and Samuli Kosminen, takes place at Kiasma theatre on October 12. The music includes new and existing works by Pohjonen / Kosminen and is performed in surround sound.
Aug 21: Jade Warrior and Majak film screenings
The Finnish feature film, Jade Warrior, with music composed by Kimmo Pohjonen and Samuli Kosminen and performed by Pohjonen / Kosminen Kluster, will make its World Premiere at the Toronto Film Festival on Sept 7 (press) and Sept 8 (public). The Finnish public premiere is scheduled for October 11 (invited guests) and October 13 (public).......Meanwhile, the Russian film Majak, music by Kimmo Pohjonen, already shown in Moscow, Armenia and in Vyborg, will next be shown in Kazakhstan in September and in Riga, Latvia and Tallin, Estonia in October.
June 27: Lighthouse / Majak film premiere
The Russian film Lighthouse / Majak featuring new music composed by Kimmo Pohjonen was shown at the Moscow Film Festival on June 27, 2006 and will be shown again in Erevan, Armenia in this month at the Golden Apricot Film Festival.
June 8: Kluster at SONAR
Kimmo Pohjonen / Samuli Kosminen Kluster will appear at SONAR Festival in Barcelona on June 17. The concert will take place in the SONAR Complex at 21:00.
May 18: Pohjonen collaboration with farm equipment
On May 27, Kimmo Pohjonen makes a special concert performance in Ramsöö, Finland with local farmers from Pohjonen's home county, Häme. The event, Ramsöön ITE Festival will feature Pohjonen and his accordion performing composed music and improvisations with the farmers and their farm equipment.
Info: www.ramsoo.fi
April 1: Kluster composing Jade Warrior filmscore
Kimmo Pohjonen and Samuli Kosminen are composing and recording music for the film Jade Warrior produced by Blind Spot Pictures, directed by A.J. Annila. The film to be released in autumn 2006. Visit the Jade Warrior website.
January 22: Kluster at MIDEM
Kimmo Pohjonen / Samuli Kosminen performed at MIDEM music convention in Cannes, France. The main stage appearance also featured Värttinä and Apocalyptica.
2005
Dec 13: Uniko and KTU videos online
Now added to the Kimmo Pohjonen video page are two new video clips: Kluster / Kronos Quartet "Kalma" from the Uniko project, recorded live in Helsinki 2004. Also KTU "Optikus" recorded at FMM Festival in Sines, Portugal, July 2005.
Please visit the video page.
Nov 29: Kluster at
MIDEM
Kimmo Pohjonen / Samuli Kosminen Kluster will perform at the MIDEM music industry convention in Cannes, France on January 22, 2006 as part of the Finnish Opening Night presentation. Other artists are Värttinä and Apocalyptica.
Oct 31: Kimmo Pohjonen nominated BBC Radio 3
Planet Award
At the WOMEX world music expo in Gateshead/Newcastle, UK, 26-30.10, Kimmo Pohjonen was nominated for the BBC Radio 3 Planet Award. The category is Culture Crossing and the other nominees are: Kronos Quartet and Asha Bhosle (USA/India), Yasmin Levy (Israel) and Nitin Sawhney (India /UK). This is Pohjonen's second nomination for the BBC award, the first was in 2002 when the winner was Portuguese fado singer Mariza. The winners of the 2005 awards will be announced 18.2.2006.
Sept 7: KTU - 8 Armed Monkey CD released in Finland
KTU debut CD 8 Armed Monkey was released in Finland today by Rockadillo records The German edition is available from Westpark Music. The US release will be out on Sept 27 via Thirsty Ear and the Japanese release on October 14 via Besection.
Aug 2: KTU success at FMM, Sines
The KTU group enjoyed a smashing success at the FMM Festival in Sines, Portugal, one of the best festivals in Europe.
On July 30, KTU performed to about 7000 people in a show with Master Musicians of Jajouka and Irish band Kila.
Organizers say the ticket sales for that concert was the highest in the seven year history of the festival.
Reviews from all four major papers were rave, for example from Diario de Noticias:
"KTU, with the "diabolic" Kimmo Pohjonen, were the most applauded band of the last day of the festival.....
If The Master Musicians of Jajouka are the ancestral spirits who's music has timeless resonance, KTU - "elected" by the crowd as the highlight of the night -
imprison those same spirits in the urban schizophrenia of today. The project that reunites the Finnish Kluster (the accordionist Kimmo Pohjonen and the
percussions and electronic samples man Samuli Kosminen) to the drummer Pat Mastelotto and the guitarist Trey Gunn, created on stage the hellish environment
usual in Pohjonens music and went further to create convulsive, ghostly music, able to release gargoyles from its cement skin - and they, scarily,
danced slow waltzes, improvised gothic jazz, adding unexpected funk in the encore, which was muscular and overwhelming.". Live foto by Koh Okabe can be seen on the KTU page.
June 27: Pohjonen and Kuoppamäki triumph at Meltdown
Kimmo Pohjonen and drummer Sami Kuoppamäki were a smash hit at Patti Smith's Meltdown at Royal Festival Hall in London on June 26.
The Songs of Experience concert, a tribute to Jimi Hendrix was a 3.5 hour event featuring Patti Smith,
Jeff Beck, Robyn Hitchcock, Squarepusher, James Blood Ulmer and others. Pohjonen and Kuoppamäki performed two songs:
"Driving North" (a variation of "Driving South") and "Burning of the Midnight Lamp" and received high praise from
The Independent ,
The Guardian and The Times.
Ilpo Musto took excellent fotos and they can be seen here.
May 26: Pohjonen and Kuoppamäki to perform at Patti Smith's Meltdown
Kimmo Pohjonen and drummer Sami Kuoppamäki will perform as a duo at Patti Smith's Meltdown Festival at Royal Festival Hall in London on June 26. The final event of the festival is a tribute to Jimi Hendrix entitled Songs of Experience and features other artists Jeff Beck, Flea, Yat-Kha, Balanescu Quartet, Fred Frith, and Patti Smith. Each artist will perform two songs from Hendrix' repertoire.
May 20: KTU a smash hit at Moers Festival
The double dynamic duo formation called KTU was a massive hit at Moers Festival in Germany on May 13. Thousands of people cheered as Pohjonen, Kosminen, Gunn and Mastelotto delivered a blazing one hour set. A limited number of advance pre-release copies of the debut KTU album entitled 8 Armed Monkey was completely sold out after the performance. Next KTU concerts will be in Kassel (July 27), Jena (July 28) and Sines Portugal (July 30). The KTU album will be released in late August or early September 2005.
April 10: KTU video "Optikus" now online
The video clip of "Optikus" by KTU, recorded live in Helsinki, is now online. KTU concerts scheduled for 2005 include Moers Festival (May 13), Kassel, Germany (July 27), Jena, Germany (July 28), Sines, Portugal (July 30), Tampere Jazz Happening, Finland (Nov 5). The KTU album entitled 8 Armed Monkey is set for release in Finland and Germany in August 2005.
April 1: Uumen CD released
Kimmo Pohjonen and Eric Echampard CD entitled Uumen is released today on Rockadillo Records. Recorded live at Amiens Festival 2004, the music is totally improvised. Kimmo and Eric embark on an eight date Finnish tour to support the release, followed later in April with two Estonian concerts. A German release of Uumen is set for May 2 from Westpark Music.
Feb 25: Kluster concert in Helsinki
Kluster makes their first 2005 appearance in Finland at Gloria Theatre, Helsinki on March 5. Also appearing are Viljamaa / Juhola do, Tone Kroub and DJ Left Leg.
Feb 18: West Australian Ballet
Music from Kimmo Pohjonen albums Kielo and Kalmuk is being used in dance performances in Western Australia by Jorma Uotinen with Western Australian Ballet.
A total of sixteen performances are happening this month.
Jan 15: UNIKO at MIDEM
Kimmo Pohjonen Kluster / Kronos Quartet - UNIKO, the live concert filmed at Helsinki Festival in 2004, will be screened at MIDEM convention in Cannes on Sunday January 23 at the IMZ screening room. UNIKO was composed by Pohjonen and Kosminen, performed by Kimmo Pohjonen Kluster and Kronos Quartet. The program was produced by YLE Teema (Finland) and Moving Images (Austria) .
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