Briefly in English

Teemu Viinikainen is one of Finland’s best-known and most distinguished jazz guitarists. An emphasis on expressional power, swing and virtuosity are key elements in his playing but, above all, it is his strong presence, delicate touch and the subtle sound of his instrument that make the most immediate impression on the listener.

Viinikainen took up the guitar at the age of seven and enrolled at the Helsinki Pop & Jazz Conservatory in mid 90’s. After that he pursued his studies at the Sibelius Academy’s Department of jazz from where he graduated with his master’s degree in 2005. He has trained under the instruction of such world-famous guitarists as Pat Metheny and Wayne Krantz.

His first notable jazz group was the Finnish quintet U-Street All Stars, founded in 2001. They became very popular in Finland and it was through them that Viinikainen started to make a name for himself. Indeed, perhaps his biggest merit today is his reputation as a trusted and sought-after musician – the go-to guitarist for numerous top groups. While saxophonist Jukka Perko can be named as Viinikainen’s most important and long-standing partner in music, the guitarist has also performed alongside a host of international jazz giants, including Joe Lovano, Vince Mendoza, Randy Brecker, Dave Liebman, Tim Hagans and Jeff Tain Watts.

Teemu Viinikainen III -trio with keyboardist Mikael Myrskog and drummer Joonas Riippa released their album Return of Robert Dickson in autumn 2017 and was greeted with an Emma Music Awards nomination for the Jazz Album of the Year. In 2022 Teemu released his first solo guitar album Songs of Silence where he explored new sounds and textures from diverse choice of tunes. While doing artistic work he continues to teach at the Sibelius-Academy in Helsinki and JAMK, University of Applied Siences in his hometown, Jyväskylä.