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Teemu Kekkonen

Finnish jazz pianist & composer Teemu Kekkonen's music is best characterized by thoughtfully crafted compositions, cinematic harmonies, captivating grooves and familiar melodies

About Me

Finnish jazz pianist & composer Teemu Kekkonen is an emerging artist in the European scene.

Thoughtfully crafted compositions, cinematic harmonies, captivating grooves and familiar melodies are the cornerstones of his music. Teemu's improvisations and pieces are musical adventures, at times rugged and raw, other times calm and collected. Following the release of his 2021 four-track EP “Trio Live at Bimhuis”, Teemu self-releases his debut album Here/There on September 16th 2022. He also composes music for film, the Nordic jazz band Kama Kollektiv and rock band Gentle Savage.

Raised on his father’s record collection, Teemu spent his early years listening to jazz pianists such as Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson, as well as homegrown heroes such as Iiro Rantala. At 13, after discovering the music of Chick Corea, Teemu made the decision to pursue a career in music. Later significant influences were such jazz pianists as Tigran Hamasyan and Brad Mehldau, as well as impressionist composers Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy. Teemu has been equally drawn towards the distorted sounds of prog, rock and metal acts like Porcupine Tree, Ayreon and Dream Theater.

Teemu spent the 2010s playing piano in Mikko Sarvanne Hip Company, studying jazz & classical music and composition in Helsinki and Amsterdam Conservatories. During this time he recorded albums with Hip Company and other groups. Significant performances include Oslo Jazz Festival, Pori Jazz Festival and Viapori Jazz.

My Jazz Story

Finnish jazz pianist & composer Teemu Kekkonen is an emerging artist in the European scene. Thoughtfully crafted compositions, cinematic harmonies, captivating grooves and familiar melodies are the cornerstones of his music. Teemu's improvisations and pieces are musical adventures, at times rugged and raw, other times calm and collected. Following the release of his 2021 four-track EP “Trio Live at Bimhuis”, Teemu self-releases his debut album Here/There on September 16th 2022. He also composes music for film, the Nordic jazz band Kama Kollektiv and rock band Gentle Savage. Raised on his father’s record collection, Teemu spent his early years listening to jazz pianists such as Bill Evans and Oscar Peterson, as well as homegrown heroes such as Iiro Rantala. Teemu was equally drawn towards the distorted sounds of prog, rock and metal acts like Black Sabbath, Porcupine Tree and Dream Theater. At 13, after discovering the music of Chick Corea, Teemu made the decision to pursue a career in music. Later significant influences were such jazz pianists as Tigran Hamasyan and Brad Mehldau, as well as impressionist composers Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy. Teemu spent the 2010s playing piano in Mikko Sarvanne Hip Company, studying jazz & classical music and composition in Helsinki and Amsterdam Conservatories. During this time he recorded albums with Hip Company and other groups. Significant performances include Oslo Jazz Festival, Pori Jazz Festival and Viapori Jazz.