Winner of the 2001 Finnish Jazz Grammy, The EMMA award, Kari Ikonen and his long time group Karikko are back with another fantastic album. Featuring the great French cello virtuoso Vincent Courtois and, as the new member of the group, Belgian trumpet master Laurent Blondiau. Ikonen is backed with solid beats and grooves by Ulf Krokfors (bass) and Mika Kallio (drums) and Sonny Heinilä on flute and sax, all members of the Finnish jazz elite. This is a true all star group of musicians! Kari Ikonen born 1973, Korpilahti, Finland Pianist Composer Biography After having studied piano for four years (1989-1993) in Jyväskylä Institute of Music, Kari Ikonen continued his studies in 1994 in piano and later in composition at the Jazz Music Department of Sibelius Academy, with such teachers as Jarmo Savolainen, Jukkis Uotila, Anders Jormin, Mike Gibbs, Sonny Heinilä and Olli Kortekangas. He also spent a semester of 1996 in Rotterdam Conservatory, where he studied with Rob van Kreevelt. He got his master's degree from Sibelius Academy in 2001. He has performed with many different groups and musicians, for example Karikko (as a leader), Mr. Fonebone, Quartet Coyote, Ahava, Gnomus, Ingrid Jensen, Henry Lowther, Eero Koivistoinen, Jukkis Uotila, Sonny Heinilä etc. With these artists he has performed at many domestic and international festivals, including Pori Jazz, April Jazz, ITA Festival, Boulder, Colorado and Appleby Jazz Festival, England. His compositions have been played by various small and large ensembles, such as UMO Jazz Orchestra (Finnish Radio Big Band), which has premiered several his compositions, including "Unia" (1997), "Nosreglo" (1998) and "Luoto" (2000). The last-mentioned won the first prize in the Jazz Orchestra category of the Jazz Composers Alliance/Julius Hemphill Composition Awards in USA, 2000 (he was also among the finalists in Small Group category). Another victory came in August 2002, when Ikonen's composition "Peikkola" (2002) won the first prize in "Scrivere in Jazz" competition in Sardegna, Italy. He has also worked as a teacher (jazz piano, ensemble, solfege) in Jyväskylä Institute of Music 1993-94, Jyväskylä University music education program 1993 and Sibelius Academy Jazz Music Department since 1998. Selected recordings Kari Ikonen & Karikko: Oceanophonic (2008, Texicalli TEXCD 086) Gnomus: Diagnosis (2007, Fiasko Records FRCD-29) Mr. Fonebone: Hit and Run (2007, Texicalli) Gnomus: 28 août 2005 (2005, Fiasko Records TOTAL 4) Gnomus: II (2004, Fiasko Records FRCD-17) Ahava (2001, Fiasko Records FRCD-7) Kari Ikonen: Karikko (2001, Fiasko Records FRCD-5) Mr. Fonebone: Live featuring Ingrid Jensen (2000, Texicalli TEXCD3000) Gnomus (2000, Fiasko Records FRCD-1) Quartet Coyote: Moisturizing (2000, Texicalli TEXCD 030)