The focus of many a jazz aficionado has shifted to Tuomas A. Turunen due to his role as the pianist who sets the course for the playing in the Emil Brandqvist Trio, currently one of Europe's most successful piano trios. For instance, with the album "Seascapes" the highly acclaimed group was able to celebrate an ECHO JAZZ AWARD nomination, "Falling Crystals" climbed to a No. 7 ranking on the German Jazz Charts, and both "Within A Dream" and "Entering The Woods" even made it into the Top 5. The pianist from Finland appeared not only as soloist on these albums but as composer, too. While still studying in Gothenburg, Sweden, his teachers included the renowned Anders Jormin. In 2010 he received the Special Jury Prize in the Piano Competitions at the Montreux Jazz Festival. And in 2017, his solo album "Ornaments Of Time" reaped well-deserved, exuberant reviews from critics.
For his newest work entitled "Lifesparks", the Finn who calls the south of France home at the moment packed his bags and went to the famous ARTE SUONO studio in Udine, Italy to record his second solo album, once again with legendary sound engineer Stefano Amerio. In turn, once again the recordings presented are very personal facets. "Many of these songs are like musical illustrations of simple, yet precious moments from my everyday life. Seeing my son playing and growing up, or just being together with the loved ones… Many times the simple moments are the most precious ones. Nevertheless, some titles refer to more dramatic situations from the past, as well as to some unforgettable bursts of joy. These little and big moments are the inspiration for the music on this album - they are the special spices that give the unique taste for the world as I experience it. I call these moments my Lifesparks."
- KULTUR: "With the moods he sets and their romantic feel, images that still bear a hint of melancholy, even in their most exhilarated phrasings and scorching runs, the Finnish pianist strikes directly into the soul of his listeners."
- RONDO: "…we need the lovely, the quiet, the tender, the gentle, too."
- Süddeutsche Ztg.: "Turunen employs gentle, melody-accentuated, extremely diversified Jazz between classical themes and the Nordic Sound to cast his spell on us."
- Piano News: "an enormously emotional music."
- Jazz' N' more: "Tuomas Turunen is a master of magnetic melodies who does not succumb to the temptation to smother silence with notes. He lets notes breathe, lets sounds stand and unfold."
- Kulturnews: "Turunen creates euphoria with his gentle virtuosity."
Tracklisting:
1. Grow - 5:30
2. Together - 4:54
3. Metropol Round - 4:35
4. The End - 6:22
5. Longing For - 6:01
6. Alone Again - 3:19
7. Joy Dance - 4:25
8. Gathering - 4:01
9. Laulu on iloni ja työni - 4:27
10. Forgotten - 5:20
11. I Will Come to You - 5:36
12. Approche - 5:20
13. Soul Flight - 5:18
