Timo Alakotila

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Reviews

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Timo Alakotila & Piano review by Helsingin Sanomat

07/08/2016 by timoalakotila.com

Here is a quick review of the solo album by Helsingin sanomat. You can read the original article here.

TIMO ALAKOTILA on tuttu näky useiden huipputason kansanmusiikkiyhtyeiden osana. Harmoonin ja pianon koskettimien takana hän on aina todellinen sointuihme, jonka tuki ja turva on soittajalle vankkumaton. Nyt tätä taituruutta saadaan kuulla soolona.

Alakotila on säveltänyt levyllisen omaa musiikkia, joissa yhdistyy vinkeästi ja lopulta aika harvinaisestikin kansanmusiikki ja jazz. Sävellyksissä soi jazzin rikas soinnutus, toisaalta mukana on kansanmusiikin melodioita, koristelua ja mukaansa tempaavaa rytmiikkaa. Musiikki ei ole kaikkein simppeleintä, mutta Alakotila soljuttaa sävelet esiin Musiikkitalon flyygelistä hyvin selkeästi ja vaivattomasti. Sointi on herkkä ja kuulas.

Tätä kauneutta on syytä rauhoittua kuuntelemaan silmät kiinni.

Review by:

Mari Koppinen, Helsingin Sanomat

Filed Under: Media, Reviews

Timo Alakotila & Piano review by LIRA

06/16/2016 by timoalakotila.com

A very positive quick review of Timo Alakotila & Piano by swdish Lira can be found here.

Review by:

Lira.se

Filed Under: Media, Reviews

Timo Alakotila & Piano review by Globalsounds

06/03/2016 by timoalakotila.com

Here is a nice review of the new solo album by german Globalsounds.
Read the review here.

Review by:

Globalsounds.info

Filed Under: Media, Reviews

Dark Wings of the Night review by Fiona Talkington/Songlines, 2015

07/21/2015 by timoalakotila.com

Star-studded supergroup of Finnish tango
There’s something dark and secretive about Finnish tango; that is its great attraction. Listen to archive recordings from the 40s and it’s clearly a musical world unlike any other. Tango is certainly alive and well in Finland today, which hosts an annual tango festival in Seinäjoki attracting over 100,000 visitors every year.

Tango-Orkesteri Unto are named after legendary Finnish tango composer Unto Mononen and in Dark Wings of the Night they’ve released their best album to date. The members of the orchestra are all prominent performers of the Finnish music scene: the great pianist and composer Timo Alakotila, accordion superstar Johanna Juhola, Mauno Järvelä from JPP and bassist Hannu Rantanen. There’s exquisite guitar playing from Petri Hakala and warm vocals from Pirjo Aittomäki. As well as some cornerstones of the tango repertoire, there are new compositions too, such as Juhola’s restless account of argument and reconciliation in ‘Huudetaan’ or Timo Alakotila’s 7/8 tango ‘Humalapuu’ – which is, just for once, happy tango music.

Fiona Talkington

Filed Under: Media, Reviews

JPP Skywire review by Fiona Talkington/Songlines July 2015

03/21/2015 by timoalakotila.com

As a live experience, JPP are hard to beat. They’ve been together for over 30 years, having grown up in the Kaustinen
region, the fiddling heart of Finland, and they have long been playing tunes from the area and from further across Finland. As their worldwide reputation grew they built new compositions into their repertoire. Harmonium and piano player Timo Alakotila and fiddler Arto Järvela write a lot of JPP’s material, as well has pursuing their own solo and collaborative careers. Six fiddles, harmonium and double bass make up the band, with the fiddles’ exceptional phrasing and tone being the trademark sound. Letting loose on traditional tunes, they manage to weave in surprising harmonic shifts together with breathtaking dance rhythms. The earthy, percussive and haunting harmonium sounds are, in the hands of Alakotila, faultless and always inspiring; Timo Myllykangas, on bass, adds brilliance and mischief.
A new JPP album is always welcome, and this one mixes arrangements
of traditional melodies with new compositions. ‘Kohti Pispalaa’ is a typical whirlwind of brilliance and joy, ‘Hiuuih’ simply urges you to dance, though its rhythms are not for the
faint-hearted, and the opening march ‘Morsiusfatimarssi’ is a reminder of just how well they blend energy and poignancy. JPP have done it again.

TRACK TO TRY: Kohti Pispalaa

Fiona Talkington

Filed Under: Media, Reviews

Maria Kalaniemi & Timo Alakotila Duo Åkerö review in Sing Out, 2013

08/21/2013 by timoalakotila.com

Sing Out, aug 2013

Though Finnish master musicians Maria Kalaniemi and Timo Alakotila both play in many bands, something remarkable happens when they strip the music down to duets. The chemistry between the two emerges, creating a sound that is incredibly warm and intimate.On Åkerö — their first album as a duo since 2001’s Ambra — Kalaniemi (free-bass, five-row, button accordion) and Alakotila (pianist best known for his work with JPP) play like one musician. Their intricate arrangements showcase a wide dynamic range, from bold climaxes to subtle pauses.

There’s probably no better example of this than the title track. It opens the album with the accordion playing both melody and counter melody as Alakotila’s piano enters almost imperceptibly, slowly growing in intensity. The music crescendos and decrescendos, continually and dramatically changing direction but always returning to the anchor of the opening melodies — all in a stunning five minutes.

Where “Åkerö” is a bit of a roller coaster, “Yötuulet” is quiet and slightly melancholy. The brief silences between phrases make the breathing of the bellows seem human to the point of empathy

Åkerö also offers some surprises. Kalaniemi, not known as a vocalist, brings a pure, clear voice to “Koskaan Et Muuttua Saa.” A song of heartbreak, this interpretation would feel at home in a cabaret or music hall. In sharp contrast, “Viola” brings in drums and a horn section to create something akin to a New Orleans jazz band taking on Finnish dance music. Oddly, it not only works but does so with such joy that you can almost hear the musicians smiling.

Åkerö is aptly titled, named for what Kalaniemi describes as the “best tasting apple, sweet and sour at same time.” Like the apple, it’s a delicate balance of styles, dynamics, and emotions.

Bill Snyder

Filed Under: Media, Reviews

Looking for something specific?

All music, videos & reviews

Felis-quartet – Moon River

06/12/2017 Videos

T for Three – Tula

06/12/2017 Videos

Videos of songs “Sciatica” and “Primavera” from the album Timo Alakotila & Piano

05/15/2017 Latest media, Media, Music, Videos

Few clips of Timo performing his solo album “Timo Alakotila & Piano” live. Enjoy!

12/30/2016 Videos

Here are some clips with Timo Alakotila and Karen Tweed for you to enjoy

08/31/2016 Videos

Watch these clips of a session with Nordik Tree

08/31/2016 Videos

Listen to samples of two songs, Sprout (Oras) & Ängskärsmenuett from the album Smash by Troka

07/30/2016 Music

Listen to samples of two songs, Tanssilaulu & Keinu Kanssani from T for Three

07/30/2016 Music

Listen to samples of two songs, Lumen Valossa & Hope/ Gerry Commane’s / Back Home At Onsbäcken / Beoga / Sam’s Tune from the album Midnight by May Monday

07/30/2016 Music

Timo Alakotila & Piano review by Helsingin Sanomat

07/08/2016 Media, Reviews

Timo Alakotila & Piano review by LIRA

06/16/2016 Media, Reviews

Timo Alakotila & Piano review by Globalsounds

06/03/2016 Media, Reviews

Timo Alakotila Press photos

03/20/2016 Media, Pictures

Listen to two songs, Sciatica & Primavera from Timo Alakotila’s solo album Timo Alakotila & Piano

02/21/2016 Media, Music, News

Listen to two songs, Kaipaus & Viola from Timo Alakotila & Maria Kalaniemi

02/21/2016 Media, Music

Listen to two songs, Unen Poika & Celeste from JPP

02/21/2016 Media, Music

Listen to two songs, Hyljätty & Humalapuu from Tango Orkesteri Unto

02/21/2016 Media, Music

Dark Wings of the Night review by Fiona Talkington/Songlines, 2015

07/21/2015 Media, Reviews

JPP Skywire review by Fiona Talkington/Songlines July 2015

03/21/2015 Media, Reviews

Maria Kalaniemi & Timo Alakotila Duo Åkerö review in Sing Out, 2013

08/21/2013 Media, Reviews

Feel free to contact Timo!

Phone: +358 50 5116112
Email: timoalakotilagmail.com
You can also be in touch by using the contact form on the contact page.
Thank you!

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Kaukas Elofolk
Suomen Kansanmusiikkiliitto
aldasounds.com

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