b. 1955

It was like a stroke of destiny when the 12-year-old music student Pertti Päivinen from Vantaa got one of Finland’s best-known wind instrumentalists, Seppo Paakkunainen, as his flute teacher. “Pepa” Päivinen is now what Paakkunainen was then: an open-minded multi instrumentalist who breaks borders and whose down-to-earth playing is one of the cornerstones of Finnish jazz. He masters baritone, bass, tenor and soprano saxophones, clarinet, bass clarinet and a variety of flutes.

The saxophonist-composer, whose professional career started in the 1970’s, has always had his fingers in many pies. He has, for example, played in the Jukka Tolonen Band, participated in Edward Vesala’s esteemed Sound & Fury workshops in 1984–85 and 1989–97, toured with Anthony Braxton’s Braxtonia, and has been one of the trusted artists of the UMO Jazz Orchestra since the 1980’s. His deep-resonating baritone has also received well-deserved international acclaim. In 2000, the Finnish Jazz Federation awarded his work with the respected Georgie Award.

Päivinen’s first solo albums were released relatively late. However, all the colourful musical influences that “Pepa” has taken and that have given his music such an original hue, can be found on his albums “Yarra Yarra” (with Iro Haarla, November Music 2001), “Fun Faraway” (Silence, Strawberry 2002) and the latest “Tiram Num” (Silence, Strawberry 2005). The album “Umpsukkelis” won the Jazz-Emma Prize as the best Finnish jazz record in its release year, 1999. In addition to UMO and side projects, “Pepa” is occupied with Samuli Mikkonen & 7 Henkeä and his Pepa Päivinen Quartet that has expanded from his trio.

www.myspace.com/pepapaivinenquartet

Biography:
2000 — Receives the Georgie Award.
1999  — Jazz-Emma prize awarded for the album “Umpsukkelis”.
1988  — Braxtonia’s Finnish tour.
1985  — Becomes a member of the UMO Jazz Orchestra.
1984  — Is awarded with Pekka Pöyry Prize.
1979  — Joins Jukka Tolonen Band.

Most recent recordings:

2009 – Pepa Päivinen: North Pipe, Presence PRECD-019
2009 – UMO on UMO, UMOCD109
2008 – UMO Jazz Orchestra & Satu Sopanen: Taikapeitto, UMOCD108
2007 – Kerkko Koskinen & UMO: Agatha, RTCD06
2007 – UMO Jazz Orchestra & Raoul Björkenheim: The Sky Is Ruby, TUMCD017
2006 – Pepe Ahlqvist & UMO Jazz Orchestra: Mister Blues, BLR3390-2
2005 – UMO: Sauna palaa!, UMOCD107
2005 – Pepa Päivinen Quartet: Tiram Num, Silence. SLC 025
2002 – Pepa Päivinen Trio: Fun Faraway, Silense. SLC 008
2001 – Iro Haarla& Pepa Päivinen: Yarra Yarra, November Music NVR 2017-2
1999 – Pepa Päivinen Trio: Umpsukkelis, Silence. SLC 004
1997 – Saxigon, Silence. SLC 030