Kalle Kalima
Kalle Kalima (b. 1973 in Helsinki, Finland) has worked with trompeter Tomasz Stanko and Wadada Smith, sax players Juhani Aaltonen, Anthony Braxton, bass players Greg Cohen, Sirone, Teppo Hauta-Aho & Ed Schuller, guitarist Marc Ducret, pianist Jason Moran, composer Simon Stockhausen and singer Linda Sharrock. He is also playing with Jimi Tenor, Finnish underground pop star and Jazzanova.
2002-2010 have been busy years for Kalima, touring mostly in Europe but also in Africa, Asia and Americas. He is regularly performing with his trio Klima Kalima with Oliver Steidle, drs (Der Rote Bereich) and Oliver Potratz on bass. The band releases the album ”Helsinki on my mind” in 2004 by ZYX Music. The album ”Chasing Yellow” came out at Enja records in September 2007 and the new album ”Loru” will come out in March 2010. The Band won ”Neuer Deutscher Jazzpreis” in 2008. The band Johnny La Marama (with Chris Dahlgren, bs, USA and Eric Schaefer, drs) is an exciting mix of rock and groove influences and free improvising. The band calls their music ”Avant-Garage Jazz”. Kalima is also leading K-18, a finnish group with quarter-tone accordion. Kalimas first solo album with ”Iris in Trance” came out 2009 at La Lune Records. Here he plays guitar over 3 samplers into 5 amps surrounding the audience. Also a DVD- version with 5.1 Surround mix of the album is available.
“Kalima is a virtuoso who can do anything from single lines to electronicly altered hyper slide guitar…” (Thomas Wörtche, Jazzpodium 4/03)
“A record that documents Kalle Kalima´s flexibility, ability and amazing maturity both as a guitarist and as a band-leader” (Jazzdimensions.de 2001, Carina Prange about “Hippycone”).
“...with his guitars Kalle Kalima proves to be a far reaching story-telling talent” (Jazzpodium Nr. 2 02/01, Frithsjof Strauß)
“Presenting a combination of reckless abandon and structural thinking, Kalle Kalima (b. 1973) is one of the most fascinating Finnish musicians at the moment. ...the guitarist has managed to formulate a unique sound both as a musician and as a tunesmith. Currently residing in Berlin, Kalima plants the roots of his music deeply in the Nordic landscapes and the hectic urban life of the German capital.” (Helsinki happens 01/01, Petri Silas, Finnland.)
Selected Discography
Nuijamiehet (2000). Fiasko Records FRCD-2.
Momentum Impakto. “Haw Haw” (2000) Jazz4ever LC 065
Kalima Trio with Marc Ducret. “Hippycone” (2000) Silence-0004
Johnny La Marama (2003) Meta Records
Soi: Pehmeä (2003) Texicalli Records
Momentum Impakto (2003) « Hyvä bändi livenä » Konnex Records
Kalle Kalima (2004) « Klima Kalima Helsinki on my mind » Zyx Music
Johnny La Marama (2006)”…Fire” Traumton
Soi: “Koiperhonen” (2006) Texicalli
Klima Kalima: “Chasing Yellow” (2007) Enja
Jazz Paracites: “Very Early” (2008) Jazzwerkstatt
Kalle Kalima Pentasonic: “Iris in Trance” (2009) La Lune
Johnny La Marama: “Bicycle Revolution” (2009) Traumton
Kalle Kalima with K-18: “Some Kubricks of Blood” (2009) TUM
Klima Kalima: “Loru” (2010) Enja
Kalle Kalima with K-18: "Out to Lynch" (2012) TUM
www.kallekalima.com www.myspace.com/kallekalimapentasonic
www.myspace.com/johnnylamarama