”Esa Pietilä´s concerto ”Graffiti Play”, which we premiered together, sounds like if Frank Zappa and György Ligeti had married themselves and had gotten a child together” – Esa-Pekka Salonen
“Pietilä´s performance of my concerto was sovereign”.– Kalevi Aho
“Great musician, highly recommended”
– Risto Nieminen – Director, Music Service Gulbenkian Foundation
The impressive tenor saxophonist Esa Pietilä! – DownBeat / Josef Woodard
”Pietilä is known as a fearless musical visionary. His repertory is extremely versatile, including collaborations with classical orchestras. Moreover, he has brought not only Finnish but also international critics to their knees” – Finnish Jazz Federation
liberty ship´s new album with new FIN-NOR line-up
Jazz Musician of the Year 2016 awarded saxophonist Esa Pietilä leads his quartet Liberty Ship to the waters of free improvisation again. The renewed Liberty Ship consists of a Finnish-Norwegian... Read more
Pietilä receives the prestigious Yrjö (Georgie) award from Finnish Jazz Federation
The Yrjö Jazz award 2016 was given to saxophonist Esa Pietilä (b. 1964) for his original, genre-defying work in the field of avant-garde jazz. “Pietilä is known as a fearless improviser and... Read more
New Solo Saxophone album released
Esa Pietilä´s solo album Times & Spaces connects the acoustic expression of solo saxophone with live-electronics. The double album is a strong artistic statement and exploration into the world... Read more
Pietilä performs the world premiere of Kalevi Aho´s new tenor saxophone concerto in march 2016
Internationally acclaimed Finnish contemporary composer Kalevi Aho wrote a tenor saxophone concerto and dedicated it to Esa Pietilä. Esa will do the premiere performances of the new concerto with... Read more
Pietilä´s orchestral work “Graffiti Play” performed with Esa-Pekka Salonen & Avanti! Chamber Orchestra
“Graffiti Play”, a 40 minute orchestral piece composed by Esa Pietilä premieres its (world) First Performance in Helsinki oct. 5th 2014 with conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen & Avanti!... Read more
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Excerpts from Pietilä´s concerto “Graffiti Play”
Listen samples from Pietilä´s concerto “Graffiti Play” for chamber orch. & contemporary jazz trio. The first performance of the concerto was in oct. 2014 with Esa-Pekka Salonen & Avanti! Chamber orchestra and my trio (with Mika Kallio & Ville Herrala).