One of the best young pianists I ‘ve heard in years” DAVE LIEBMAN “Rising star around Europe” DOWNBEAT “Advanced ideas with a street-sharp attack – Rissanen’s fine trio is a formidable force, with fresh musical intelligence to match flawless techniques” GUARDIAN “Rissanen made the best jazz album of the year” HELSINGIN SANOMAT Those are just some of the praising press quotes given to Aki Rissanen, the Finnish jazz piano virtuoso. Pianist Aki Rissanen (b. 1980) has been quickly rising among the few top forces of the instrument in Finnish Jazz. Although originally classically trained he has always had a heart for improvised music. In addition to his high merits in the Solo Piano Competition at the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland and La Defense competition in France, Rissanen is best known for his works with Verneri Pohjola on ACT Music in Germany. He has released 5 albums under his own name and gaining growing attention in the European jazz scene.