Antti Heermann Quartet (Finland)

The Antti Heermann Quartet performs melodic jazz without committing to any category. Its program consists mainly of compositions by its members, an element that reveals the excellent cooperation between them. All the musicians also participate in other bands. Antti Heermann has been voted Finland's best jazz violinist four times in a row by music critics. He belongs to the elite of Finnish jazz. In his virtuoso style, technique and artistic perception coexist harmoniously. Osmo Blomqvist has many years of experience in various kinds of bands and teaches percussion at the Finnish Conservatory. Jori Huhtala and Annti Kujanpää are senior students at the Rock/Jazz Department of the Finnish Conservatory. Annti Kujanpää was chosen as the musician of the year 2002 at the Jyväskylä Jazz Festival and Jori Huhtala as the emerging musician of the year in 2001.