Last updated: 10 hours ago
Verneri Pohjola has established a reputation as one of Finland's leading -- and busiest -- jazz musicians, but music is in his blood, as he's the son of <a href="spotify:artist:19ijg5n90fExbOKQd3E0p6">Pekka Pohjola</a>, one of the country's most adventurous bass players who came of age in the prog rock era of the 1970s. Born in Helsinki, <a href="spotify:artist:19ijg5n90fExbOKQd3E0p6">Pohjola</a> grew up on movie soundtracks and rock playing "a little bit of everything" before settling mostly on trumpet in a school orchestra. His brother introduced him to jazz, which has become his main love. He does still play piano and drums "to fend off boredom." He's active in five bands, <a href="spotify:artist:2lrMzojujoJOFHaMUImnAx">Quintessence</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:3IyO9AT4qU8VLyOUcZfgMg">the Don Johnson Big Band</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:1ZpRd8UGAOTLtJyBAykNgP">Silvio</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:56gKy4jukah1D1ULhlKyO4">Q-Continuum</a>, and his main outlet, <a href="spotify:artist:5lyAsOhlvbGujJCVQoDC1B">the Ilmielikki Quartet</a>, of which he's the leader. The last of these groups came together in 2002 and released its first album, March of the Alpha Males, which received a nomination for an Emma -- the Finnish Grammy -- as Best Jazz Album in 2003. The following year <a href="spotify:artist:19ijg5n90fExbOKQd3E0p6">Pohjola</a> was chosen Pori Jazz Festival Young Artist, when he also won Musician of the Year and Best Trumpet Player in a poll of Finnish jazz critics. The band has released a second album, Take It with Me. With <a href="spotify:artist:1ZpRd8UGAOTLtJyBAykNgP">Silvio</a>, <a href="spotify:artist:19ijg5n90fExbOKQd3E0p6">Pohjola</a> has appeared on Amass All You Can and the EP Silvio, while <a href="spotify:artist:2lrMzojujoJOFHaMUImnAx">Quintessence</a> has issued Talk Less Listen More and 5 AM. Under his own name he's released Agatha. ~ Chris Nickson, Rovi
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