JUKKIS UOTILA : MENINAS

(Spice of Life SOL SC-0014)

Drummer, composer and professor of jazz music,
Jukkis Uotila’s sixth CD-release is his first recording as a pianist!

“Releasing the ”MENINAS” record is a dream come true for me. Since I started getting interested in jazz music as a youngster, I always gravitated towards the piano. Although I had early on decided to work more on the drum set and made a career playing that instrument, I always composed at the piano. Little by little it became an irreplaceable outlet also for my improvisational musical expression. Since it’s always easier for the people to associate one artist with one instrument, I contemplated for years if I should start playing piano publicly at all. But there simply is a relentless romantic in me that wants to play melodies that touch and tell stories. The piano is the perfect and really the only instrument for me to do just that. I hope you enjoy listening to the sounds of this CD as much I enjoyed playing them.” ----Jukkis Uotila

“A couple of years ago, I performed with Jukkis’ excellent group in Helsinki for an ”Evening of Randy Brecker Music”. When ringer Jim Beard couldn’t make the gig at the last minute, Jukkis filled in on piano and boy, was I thrown for a loop!...I thought it was Herbie back there playing! What a shock that the shy and retiring professor Uotila had never mentioned his keyboard prowess to me after all the playing we had done together where he only featured his excellent drumming and compositional abilities. You are in for a big surprise, listeners! Check this out!”

-Randy Brecker

“Jukkis, one of our favourite drummers, took his piano out of the closet! Congratulations! Give us all you got, Jukkis!”

-Toots Thielemans
PS. Don’t buy a harmonica!

“Enjoyed it immensely!”

-Billy Cobham

!!!!! To celebrate the new piano release further, Jukkis can be heard in Europe and South East Asia playing keyboards with drum giant Billy Cobham’s Culture Mix group in March/May/June 2006 !!!!