Edward Vesala
| Edward Vesala | |
|---|---|
 Edward Vesala in concert, International Jazz Festival, Prague, Lucerna Music Hall, 1984 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Martti Vesala |
| Born | 15 February 1945 |
| Died | 4 December 1999 (aged 54) |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupation(s) | Drummer, composer |
| Instruments | drums, percussion |
| Years active | 1960s–1999 |
| Labels | ECM |
| Associated acts | Sound and Fury, Tomasz Stańko, Tomasz Szukalski, Jan Garbarek |
Edward Vesala (15 February 1945 – 4 December 1999), born Martti Vesala, was a Finnish avant-garde jazz composer, bandleader and drummer.
Born in Mäntyharju, he began as a drummer playing jazz and rock in the 1960s, among all in such bands as the early line-up of Blues Section and Apollo. In the 1970s, he led his own jazz groups, led a quartet with Polish trumpet player Tomasz Stańko and sax player Tomasz Szukalski, played with Toto Blanke's Electric Circus, and recorded with Norwegian saxophonist Jan Garbarek. In the 1980s and 1990s, Vesala recorded several albums of his own compositions exhibiting a unique style that combines jazz, classical music, tango, and folk music with his own group Sound & Fury, which was an ensemble of about ten players made up mostly of Vesala's students. Prominent players in Sound and Fury included saxophonists Jorma Tapio and Pepa Päivinen, guitarists Raoul Björkenheim and Jimi Sumén, and harpist and keyboardist Iro Haarla who was Vesala's wife.
Vesala died from congestive heart failure in Yläne, Finland at the age of 54.
Discography
As leader
- Nana (Blue Master, 1970)
- I'm Here (Blue Master, 1973)
- Hot Lotta (Blue Master, 1973)
- Nan Madol (ECM, 1974)
- Satu (ECM, 1976)
- Rodina (Love, 1977)
- Heavy Life (Leo, 1980)
- Mau-Mau (Johanna, 1982)
- Neitsytmatka (Polarvox, 1982)
- Bad Luck, Good Luck (Leo, 1985)
- Lumi (ECM, 1986)
- Ode to the Death of Jazz (ECM, 1989)
- Invisible Storm (ECM, 1991)
- Nordic Gallery (ECM, 1995)
As sideman
With Jan Garbarek
- Triptykon (ECM, 1973)
With Tomasz Stańko
- Balladyna (ECM, 1976)
With Kenny Wheeler
- Around 6 (ECM, 1979)
Sources
External links
- Edward Vesala discography compiled by Dan Kurdilla
- Edward Vesala on ECM Records
- Allmusic Guide biography of Edward Vesala by Chris Kelsey
- Eetu - 12 sessiota Edward Vesalan kanssa Documentary film on Vesala and his work with Sound and Fury by Markus Viljanen (1994)
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