Finnish Trombone and Tuba Association

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Mircea Stan Jazz Band:
The Roots never die

This group of musicians has played together for many years, taking part in both national and international events. The band has a colourful repertoire based on Mircea Stan' s latest compositions and arrangements, in which one can detect various elements of Romanian folk music. The character of the musical style falls somewhere between latin jazz and hard bebop. Mircea Stan formed his own jazz quartet in 1972. Since then he has run a number of his own jazz combos with leading Finnish jazz musicians, including a much acclairned sextet, which was originally formed especially for the Pori Jazz Festival 1978. Stan has also played lead trombone in the intemationally known UMO Jazz Orchestra, as well as in rnany bands led by other Finnish jazz musicians, e.g Edward Vesala, Heikki Sarmanto, Eero Koivistoinen, Seppo "Baron" Paakkunainen and Antti Sarpila. He has represented Finland at intemational jazz events such as the EBU concerts in Italy, Prague and Finland. During his professional career, Mircea Stan has performed with world renowned jazz artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Phil Woods, Clark Terry, Zoot Sims, Thad Jones, Mel Lewis, Bob Brookmeyer, Benny Carter, Louie Bellson, Eddie Bert, Toots Thielernans, Muhal Richard Abrams, Slide Hampton, John Carter, Anthony Braxton, Albert Mangelsdorff, Peter Herboltzheimer, Ack van Royen and Martial Solal.

Mircea Stan also composes and arranges music, presents trombone clinics and teaches trombone at the Pop/Jazz Conservatory of Music in Helsinki. His educational work, compositions and trombone arrangements constitute a fundarnental part of the Finnish jazz trombone scene.

Like many other Finnish jazz musicians, Pentti Lahti has played in many different bands during the course ofhis career, and he is one of Finland's most sought after studio musicians. He masters eight different instruments including saxophones, bass clarinet and flute. He has played in Mircea Stan's Quartet since the seventies and later on in Jukka Linkola's Octet as well as in the UMO. During the eighties he decided to get involved with the younger generation of jazz musicians, playing with the Wasama Quartet as well as with other groups. 1983 Pentti Lahti was awarded the title "Musician of the Year" and also received the Y Ijö Award.

Jartsa Karvonen, who grew up in the northern Finnish city of Rovaniemi, comrnenced his jazz studies at the Oulunkylä Pop/Jazz hlstitute in 1976. Since completiog his studies he has played in Jukka Syrenius' Band, UMO, Jukka Linkola's and Olli Ahvenlahti's groups. Over the years, Jartsa Karvonen has become one of the most sought after drummers in different musical fields. In 1989 he was awarded the title "Jazz Musician of the Year".

Tero Saarti's musical studies began at the Kuopio Institute of Music. At present he studies at the jazz department of the Sibelius Academy and plays in the UMO Jazz Orchestra trumpet section. As a child, Marian Petrescn started leaming classical piano in Bucharest. At the age of twelve he moved with his farnily to Sweden and a couple of years later to Finland. He studied at the Sibelius Academy jazz department in Finland and has participated in a jazz piano competition in Paris, in which he came second.

Mihai Petrescn studied classical bass playing in Romania and at the Tampere Conservatory in Finland. Besides performing with Mircea Stan's Sextet he has played in a trio with his brother. He is an extremely gifted virtuoso instrumentalist.

In addition to the musicians mentioned above, Mongo Aaltnnen's participation in this project should also be recognized. He is a percussionist who is in great demand in Finland both within and beyond the field of jazz.

Many thanks to the all the musicians for their musical contributions and understanding. Thanks to Jan Vaaka for believing in me and to Veli-Pekka Heinonen or helping me to put this album together.

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page updated 6.4.2001
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