THE OFFiCIAL SITE of joakim berghäll

musician, composer, arranger, orchestrator

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

IN THE NEWS TODAY

NEWS  //  OCT 26th, 2021

Getting back to business

After a long break in performing, things are starting to cook again. This feels really good. To be fair, I did have gigs, quite many of them, during the past 18 months or so. A lot of good stuff got cancelled and a good amount postponed. But the small gigs were there, and a lot of composition work was done. The pandemic hit Finland hard, but not at all as bad as in many other parts of The World. We're opening up slowly but steadily, and this is now resulting in performances (to be found at the "Live" page).

As a beginning of an upcoming trio/quartet, we performed a duo concert with the magnificent Adele Sauros at Bad Ischl, Austria in September. The Ismo Alanko "residency" at the world-famous rock club Tavastia in Helsinki finally begins in a couple weeks. The Lahti Symphony Orchestra is performing tango related material in the beginning of November, and I'm happy to be a part of the band and to have quite many solo features. Talambo is touring in December, and there's some other good stuff too.

MEANWHILE I've been working with quite many things.

Joakim Berghäll Dark Roast 006 recorded an album in the beginning of 2021, and it looks like it will finally be released in the spring of 2022.

"The Antarctic" by Berghäll Triality will be released as a 3D audio work and it will feature spoken word by Salla Kozma and Antti Reini. The text is from the last expedition diaries of Sir Robert Falcon Scott.

I'm nearly done with composing music to the new film by Aleksi Salmenperä called "Kupla", premiering also in the spring of 2022.

And another thing to look forward to is Mikko Räsäsen Tulevaisuus, a play written by Mika Ripatti, directed by Heikki Kujanpää and featuring Martti Suosalo as Mikko Räsänen. Helsinki City Theatre, main stage, premiering February 5th, 2022 and NOT TO BE MISSED. Music composed by Timo Hietala and performed by yours truly.

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ABOUT ME

I'm a freelancer 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. Just recently, after having freelanced professionally for more than 15 years and toured in thirtysomething 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)