Ilmavoimien Big Band - Maisemakuvia Suomesta (2019)

The Big Band of the Air Force released on April 4 a new album "Landscape Pictures from Finland" as a soloist by saxophonist Pepa Päivinen. On the whole, the Air Force Big Band celebrates the 200th anniversary of Finnish military music. New album release will be held 4.4. at 21 in Tavastia, Helsinki.

The album contains compositions composed by composer Anssi Tikanmäki - Works of Landscape Pictures from Finland. The works have been reconfigured and are now recorded for the first time using the big band configuration. Arrangements ordered by the Air Force Big Band Landscapes were premiered at the concert under the leadership of music master Juha Ketola in November 2017, after which they were also decided to record.

With the strong support and support of Anssi Tikanmäki, the Big Band of the Air Force wants to honor the production of the composer's original Landscapes from Finland. Anssi I said "I am delighted to have been taken and the Landscape music on a new conquest by the big band style to the Air Force Big Band and Pepa Päivinen."

The Big Band soloist of the Air Force was Pepa Päivinen (b. 1955), a multi-instrumentalist of Woodwind. He is an open-minded multi-instrumental violator whose down-to-earth play is one of the cornerstones of Finnish jazz. In addition to the baritone saxophone, he controls bass, tenor, soprano, clarinet, bass clarinet and various flutes. He has played with Jukka Tolonen at the Band, attended the prestigious Edward Vesala Sound & Fury workshops in 1984-85 and 1989-97, and has belonged to UMO's credit artists since the 1980s. In 2000 Päivinen was rewarded for her work with the prestigious Yrjö Award, awarded by the Jazz Federation.

The Air Force Band was founded in 1977. The air force's band is headquartered in Jyväskylä, Tikkakoski. The band's duties include not only the armed forces but also the versatile concert activities both in its home town of Jyväskylä and in Central Finland, Northern Savonia, Pirkanmaa, Central Ostrobothnia and South Ostrobothnia. The band accumulates approximately 120 appearances annually.

Since its establishment, the Air Force Band has been aiming to play light music, especially big band music. The Air Force Band is the only one of the orchestras specializing in entertainment and big band music. Recognizing the binding and value of traditions, the Air Force's band has determinedly and ambitiously progressed on the challenging field of big band music. It can be said that the big band of the Air Force band, along with UMO, is the only Finnish jazz orchestra made up of professionals.

Big Band of the Air Force has produced its own entertaining series of AALTO concerts in Jyväskylä since 2008. The concerts of the series have been gradually taken to Finland and elsewhere. Visitors to the concert series have seen a diverse setting of both domestic and foreign jazz and entertainment stars. Juha Ketola has been the music master since 1 July 2017 as the chief conductor of the Air Force Band.