Jarmo Savolainen (b. May 24, 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 jazz works for various line-ups, from solo piano to big band. He has also composed music for stage, dance groups, TV programmes and the screen. His music, while tending towards the modernist tradition, is coloured by a distinctive feel for nuance and an intellectual approach that is far from being academic and dry. Savolainen is one of the most sought after musicians in Finland to play anything ranging from rock to modern concert music. One of his greatest assets is his superb musicianship, which is immediately apparent from his natural, unforced music. 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 York with some of the leading local musicians for the Dutch Timeless label at the beginning of the decade. Since then he has released five international albums for the Dutch A-Records label. "Jarmo! What a wonderful and singular combination of taste, invention, craftmanship, passion and intelligence! Jarmo has absorbed and made intuitive the rich and sophisticated language of the 1960's - which is at it's harmonic, melodic and textural essence, the music of Schoenberg - Berg, Scriabin, Debussy and Bartok - the great innovators of the 20th century. - Richie Beirach Pianist/Composer