Nousu

Mikko Pettinen is one of the hottest jazz names in Finland, a world class musician. Pettinen won the award for the best soloist in distinguished Getxo band competition and his band MP4 won there the "unofficial European championship" (Jazz Getxo Live, Hilargi 2002). Another personal merit for Mikko was the second place in Carmine Caruso International Jazz Trumpet Competition for young soloists in Reno, USA 2001.

From then on, he has appeared in many line-ups (for example Son Sabroson, Electromagnetique), for example Jimi Tenor's live band and on Paleface's, HTBT's, Jonna's, Redrama's and Anssi Kela's albums. This versatile musician is a popular name in big bands, and has played in addition to UMO for example with European Broadcasting Union Big Band.

MP4's debut album Central Playa (Impala) was released in 2004. The album was nominated for the Emma Award as one of the best jazz recordings and critics on Jazzrytmit-magazine's poll chose the album as the best jazz album of that year.

Kalevi Louhivuori is also a world-class musician, and has won the best soloist award in Young Nordic Jazz Competition in 2006. In the same competition, Kalevi's band SUN-trio won the best group award. Kalevi has also been touring and giving workshops around the world, for example in Australia, Malesia, Singapore, Africa, United States and Europe. He has performed with many famous musicians such as Bob Mintzer, Ingrid Jensen, Dave Liebman, Hugh Masekela, Randy Brecker just to name a few.

In the forthcoming two albums, Nousu is playing in a trio line-up without Kalevi. You can see and hear Mikko and Kalevi in gigs and next albums with Nousu. The line-up is versatile, gigs can be played in trio line-up, as a quartet or as the whole group as a quintet, depending on the event.

Jarno Tikka is a top promise with unbelievable energy and lyrical gift. Jarno also composes and produces for example as Brotha Salama and with Ghettojuuhan.

Rolf Pilve is also a top promise. In Rolf's drumming joins together in a beautiful way incredible technique and musical touch. Rolf plays in a number of different bands, in which the range of different musical styles is from jazz to metal and vice versa.

Mikko Nurmi is a highly productive new name in Finnish jazz and rock. Mikko's main strength is in composing and for example in 2008, he composed a respectable amount of one hundred new compositions in different genres ranging from jazz to rock to electro. For the year 2009 he has taken as his goal to record a number of albums with his bands Nousu, Kaarna, Electricee and Eistevera. In Kaarna he plays with for example Mikko Iivanainen, who is (with Mikko Pettinen and Kalevi Louhivuori) also a world class musician.