"He's a master of all the reeds."
- Jazz Weekly

IN THE NEWS TODAY

NEWS  //  Sep 18th, 2023

AUTUMN NOCTURNE
Summer's officially over, and what a joy it was! The perfect balance between gigs and free time. Finally. So it's about time to begin spending all that energy and make some new music!

It's solo material, this time. I'll be forming a band at some point, probably a quartet, to perform whatever it is that's coming out of the oven. I'm using a new method: I've been recording sounds of different rocks - yes you're right, rocks - and it's been pretty inspiring to turn those sounds into musical ideas. After all, my surname does translate into a quite large rock, so I'd better dig deep and find out what it's all about.

The next two releases will be: Dialogues V with Ingrid Jensen, Tom Harrell, Wayne Krantz and Marc Ribot, that's in print already. It'll be a 10'' vinyl EP. I'm eagerly waiting for a test press.
Runoja rauhalle - Poems for Peace will be released soon too. The band is a duo, myself on baritone saxophone (and some cello) and the great Adele Sauros on tenor and soprano sax. We'll be having a little tour in January 2024, more info on that later.

BERGHÄLL BROTHERS BIG BAND: vol.2 released August 10th, 2023

Just got the CD's and sent a bunch for review. You can get yours by pre-ordering here:
                                          https://holvi.com/shop/dialogues/
Ordering latest July 31st should pretty much secure shipping before the release date.

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This summer I'll be touring mostly with Ismo Alanko, as I'm learning how to not fill out every blank spot in the calendar to get to spend some summer vacation as well. Ismo & El Mosquito have a nice, 18-gig run around Finland. There's some artsy business to be taken care of too, including a third "Berghäll Triality" album in the making, plus some Dialogues-related composing, planning, shuffling through field recordings and so on and so forth. Good times!

There's an interesting sound art installation / concert with children coming up at Viapori Jazz Festival. Together with Samuli Kosminen and pupils from the local elementary school, we have gathered all kinds of scrap and litter from the shores of Suomenlinna, to make a sound installation of. And on the 26th of August we will perform a concert together at Viapori Jazz, supported by the John Nurminen Foundation taking care of The Baltic Sea. Not to be missed!

And yes, part two in the "Making of Dialogues V" series is now released! The blog is on the "Dialogues" page and this time all ears and eyes are on Tom Harrell. We had a fantastic session of musical communication in Helsinki, just before the lockdown in 2020. Take some six minutes to listen to the track and read all about it!

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ABOUT ME

Joakim Berghäll

I'm a freelancer musician, composer, arranger, sometimes educator, living and working on an island in Helsinki.
I began studying music at the age of three and ever since I've been intrigued by all kinds of instruments and everything that makes a sound. My main instrument is the baritone saxophone, but in different bands and projects I also do play all other saxophones, cello, various kinds of percussion, drums, electric and double bass, guitar and other stringed instruments, piano, keyboards, bass clarinet, clarinet and a bunch of different flutes. After having freelanced professionally for more than 15 years and toured in thirty-something countries I managed to put up my first band(s) as a leader. A trio called "Berghäll Triality", and a sextet "Joakim Berghäll Dark Roast 006". (Find out more in the "bands" section!)

Improvising music in a small ensemble is my main object of affection, but there's so much more out there that interests me, and I consider myself extremely lucky to be able to make a living playing in various settings from free jazz to folk, from Beijing Opera to psychedelic punk. As long as there's something special to it and people are leaving everything onstage, I really don't care which genre is it categorized under. It's all music.

I'm a cargo-bike-riding vegan stunningly aware of all the details in current NHL statistics.
If you want to make me happy, all it really takes is a cup of good coffee.

(photo: Dorit Salutskij)