A drummer and a teacher. But with vibes.
What is the case here? Some people say it’s only the 90’s modern post-bop jazz spiced with a little hint of expressionism, some people just say it’s the case of Tomi Kämäräinen. The real thing in this case though is the unique personality of this Finnish drummer, who is presenting his new quartet with his own perspective on music by combining lightness and grace of modern jazz timbre with experiencing Copenhagen in vast and various pictures.
Two Finns, Smalls New York and a waiting line. How likely you met in these circumstances! From this point of view their started their corporation.
Sometimes life can guide us to different directions or with someone like a powerful unknown force. In this case this force put these two musicians together, when they accidentally met in a waiting line of Smalls jazz club in New York 2018. After they met with a nice cold beer’s and started to get to known, they shared common thoughts in life and art. Three weeks from this, they played they’re first gig together in Spectrum, New York. Drummer Tomi Kämäräinen and a pianist Tuomo Uusitalo are both composers and the next spring we have an opportunity to hear their new music in different venues and countries. They’re music is influenced by traveling and cultural crossovers between Nordic romanticism and inspiring atmosphere of New York.
Combination of Scandinavian melancholy and modern drum rhythms makes Surrounding Circus a this day ensemble. Quotations of John Coltrane and swedish Paatos paint the big picture and the personality comes from the vibraphone that plays the lead melodies. Huge bass lines are played with synth bass, but the ensemble mainly honors acoustic music and improvised expression.
Moment’s Quartet is a jazz band from Kuopio. Music includes their own compositions and jazz classics, mainly hardbop from the end of the 50’s from artists like Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins etc.
Tomi Kämäräinen – drums
Pauliina Pohjolainen – saxophones
Esko Kauppinen – double bass
Mikko Pasanen – piano
Tomi Kämäräinen – cajon, vocal and acoustic guitar
Tuuli Hyvönen – Vocal and percussion
Jukka Jänkälä – Acoustic guitar and backing vocals