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

IN THE NEWS TODAY

NEWS  //  MARCH 31st, 2026

MAKING RECORDS

This spring we're mostly touring with Ismo Alanko - which is nice! Ok, ok, much more than nice, to be fair. It has felt great from note one. The group has been together for 13 years (I've been a part of it for 12,5 yrs now) and that means - besides of course MAGICAL interplay - that it's become a pack of good friends super fun to hang with.

We're touring on weekends, so on weekdays I have lots of time to make records! I've discovered that records actually like to be made. So I might as well make a bunch of them. Expect a ton of releases between September 2026 and let's say December 2027. What this really means is that I have to practice and prepare like never before, learning repertoire that feels way too difficult at first and takes a lot of time to wrestle with. Woodshedding, that is.

So this spring you'll be finding me either at gigs or at the isolated booth. Happy places.


SOUND ART, VIDEO and INSTALLATIONS

Between August 26th and September 7th 2025, our three-person collective Berghäll-Berghäll-Siekkinen had a multidisciplinary, site-specific art exhibition in the old prison cells of Suomenlinna, normally closed to the public.

The exhibition featured six sound art works of mine (all recorded in the cells), something that's been bubbling under the hood for a while now. Over the years, I've made many sound pieces yet unreleased, and for instance the upcoming Dialogues VIII album consists of field recording works only. Still, this is the first time I had sound works on display, and to me it meant a lot. The exhibition was supported by Suomenlinnan hoitokunta, Kansan Sivistysrahasto and Kone Foundation.


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ABOUT ME

Joakim Berghäll

I'm a freelancer musician, composer, arranger, upcoming sound artist, 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 some other stringed instruments, piano, keyboards, bass clarinet, clarinet and a bunch of different flutes.

Improvising music in a small ensemble might be 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 punk. As long as there's something special to it and people are leaving everything onstage, I really don't care.

I'm a cargo-bike-riding vegan stunningly aware of all the details in the NHL stats. If you want to make me happy, all it really takes is a cup of good coffee. (or, ok, pretty much any cup of coffee!)

(photo: Dorit Salutskij)