Biography

I was born 1970 in Helsinki Mlk, Finland. I started playing guitar at the age of 10. First influences were mainly jazz; Benny Goodman, Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. After three years of practise and playing Parker's omnibook I got into Pop/Jazz-concervatory. At the age of 17, I had done all the exams there was to do at that level. So I took a year off and finished High-School. At the age of 18 I went to California, Musicians Institute, for a Year. That was really something, I learned a lot and practised a lot with great teachers as Scott Hendesson, Joe Diorio, Peter Sprague and many more.

After finishing GIT in 1990 I came back to Finland. After doing some freelancer-gigs, jazz and pop, I started to play in Samuli Edelmann Band in 1991. That was the first big group I played with. I got into Sibelius-academy jazz department in 1992 and did my Master Degree in 2000. I teached in Stadia Pop/Jazz-Department from 2001 to 2007. Nowadays I work with various groups playing jazz, rock, brazilian music and pop and do also some freelance gigs, live and studio. I have my own studio, GoldenEye Studios, and a company, Impossible Music Oy. I release own records and produce, compose and arrange for other people too.

History

to make a long story short... I'm a Finnish guitar player, producer and a composer. I've played professionally for 16 years, live and studio. I've studied in Musicians Instutute and I graduated from Sibelius-Academy Jazz Department in 2000. I've released one album on my own name, it's called Tori. My main musical influences come from jazz and rock, but a bit is from classical and ethnic influences. I work mainly as a sideman, session musician and producer, but from time to time there is time to do some own material and gigs.

Bands I have performed with

Mix Ensemble
Occoustrick
Petteri Hasa Big Band
Helsinki Sound Machine (Samuli Edelmann Band)
Ipe Vettenranta
Kaija Koo
Tapani Kansa
Avenue 7
Johnny Logan
Baccara
Ira Kaspi Townbeat
Tessa Virta
UMO
Avanti!
Helsingin kaupunginorkesteri
Vantaa Pops
RSO
Sinfonia Lahti
Sakari Kuosmanen
Pepe Willberg
Laura Sippola &Tuki
Emma Salokoski Ensemble
Olli Ahvenlahti (The Poet)
Vesku Loiri Band
Timo Rautiainen