Tuomo Uusitalo is an award-winning pianist, composer, arranger and educator. Having released three albums as a leader, and appearing on numerous albums as a sideman, he has established himself in the New York jazz scene, and continues touring internationally both as a leader as well as sideman.
Currently Tuomo resides in Helsinki, Finland.
Born in Tampere, Finland, Tuomo Uusitalo started to play piano at the age of 6. As a teenager he played different types of music from classical to pop/rock, and soon became fascinated by Jazz and the thrilling possibilities of spontaneous improvisation.
While studying music in Graz, Austria (University of Music and Performing Arts, the oldest jazz institute in Europe), Tuomo already had the chance to work and perform with many jazz legends including Bob Brookmeyer, Billy Hart, Curtis Fuller, Jimmy Cobb and Jim Rotondi, as well as many other well known jazz artists such as Steve Waterman, Riccardo del Fra, Wayne Darling, Juan Garcia-Herreros, Howard Curtis, Stjepko Gut, Charlie Miklin and many others. Since 2007 Tuomo has played and toured all around Europe (Finland, Estonia, United Kingdom, Germany, Holland, Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Croatia, Serbia, Montenegro, Italy) as a solo pianist and with various ensembles ranging from Piano Trio to Big Bands.
After graduating with honors from University of Music and Performing Arts Graz (Austria) in 2012, Tuomo moved to New York City, and has been living in the city since. He is performing regularly around the city at numerous venues including NYC's main jazz spots (Smalls, Mezzrow, Fat Cat, Zinc Bar, Cornelia Street Cafe, Minton’s Playhouse, ShapeshifterLab, Cleopatra's Needle, Garage, University of the Streets, Arturo's etc.). During his time in NYC he has worked with several legendary jazz musicians including Chris Cheek, Curtis Lundy, Tyler Mitchell, David Schnitter, Jeff Hirschfield, Johnny O'Neal, Greg Bandy and Philip Harper as well as many notable musicians in the scene such as Ulysses Owens Jr., Dayna Stephens, Obed Calvaire, Rich Perry, Justin Brown, Elliot Mason, Peter Slavov, Josh Evans, Brandon Lewis, Gerry Gibbs, Scott Tixier, Jason Brown, Luques Curtis, Tivon Pennicott, Troy Roberts, Russell Hall, Evan Sherman, Alexander Claffy and Kyle Poole, to name a few.
"TRIO" is his sparkling 2012 debut CD. The album won the Downbeat Student Music Award in 2012 for the Best Small Jazz Group. At the same year he also won the same price for the Best Latin Group (Marco Antonio Da Costa Group). 2013 he was the recipient of prestigious Sir Roland Hanna Award from City University of New York.
2013 Tuomo had a chance to bring his original compositions to the Montreal Jazz Festival (Canada), where he was a part of the Jazz Composers-Series.
Fall 2014 Tuomo was on the road with The One And Only Tommy Dorsey Orchestra, touring six weeks in The United States and Canada. After the first tour with the band, he has been working with the TDO ever since on a regular basis, touring all over The United States as well as in Portugal, Colombia, Panama, El Salvador, Costa Rica and Mexico.
In 2016 he also started his twice a month - residency at the world famous Smalls Jazz Club, performing his original music and hosting the jam session with his trio.
2015 Tuomo was commissioned to compose and perform as the headliner at the renowned Chelsea Music Festival in New York City, where he met drummer Olavi Louhivuori, one of the all time leading drummers in the European Jazz Scene. From then on they created a project ‘Northbound’, that recorded it’s debut album which was released in 2017, featuring saxophonist Seamus Blake. The album has been extremely well received among critics and fans.
2016 Tuomo released his second album as a leader, 'Love Song', on Fresh Sound Records, and continues performing in New York City as well as internationally in the future.
2018 Tuomo was asked to join The Post Modern Jukebox for their 2018 European Tour, performing in Iceland, Portugal, Spain, France, Belgium, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Macedonia and Israel.
Tuomo’s 3rd album as a leader, ‘Stories From Here And There’ , featuring legendary Chris Cheek was recorded in NYC September 2018 and was released on Fresh Sound New Talent July 1st 2019.
During COVID-19, Tuomo recorded a set of solo piano pieces, and his first solo piano album, ‘Songs From Suspended Times’, was released on 2023 on Eclipse Records.
2023 Tuomo was awarded the Pori Jazz Festival Artist Of The Year Award, and performed with his trio at the festival.
2023 Tuomo Uusitalo Trio also released their newest, critically acclaimed album ‘Homecoming’ on the Fresh Sound - record label.
2024 Tuomo took his tour one a 8-day tour around Finland on a Finnish Jazz Federation Tour, which was praised by critics and news publications.
Discography:
As a Leader:
Tuomo Uusitalo Trio 2012
Love Song 2016
Northbound 2017
Stories From Here And There 2019
Songs From Suspended Times 2023
Homecoming 2023
As a Sideman:
Simon Zion: Ballads Session 2024 SPOTIFY
Davids Bejers: Home 2021 SPOTIFY
Vadims Dmitrijevs: Chapter 1 2021 SPOTIFY
Nicholas Brust: Frozen In Time 2020 SPOTIFY
Inga Berzina: Sievietes Sapni 2019 SPOTIFY
Gianni Gagliardi: Bikram 2019 SPOTIFY
Reggie Watkins: Avid Admirer 2016
Jimmy O'Connell Sixtet: "Arrythmia" 2016 SPOTIFY
Daniel Cacija: "Lifeline" 2015
King Kahuna: "Big Score" 2014
Opera Heartbeats (Documentary movie); composer & arranger 2011
Daniel Cacija: Live @ Jazzkeller Frankfurt 2011
Marco Antonio Da Costa Group: "Painel" 2010
Festivals/Tours:
Keitele Jazz 2007 (Vuusio Quintet), Finland
Christian Rover & The Finish Allstars "History of Pop" March 2008, Leibzig, Germany (5 Concerts at the Gewandhaus Concert Hall
Finland Tour 2009 (Tuomas Paukku Quintet)
Finland Tour 2011 (Tuomas Paukku Quintet)
Jazz-Espa Helsinki 2009 (Tuomas Paukku Quintet), Finland
Jazzwerkstatt Graz 2009, 2011 (Aly Patmore Midtet, Maaike Den Dunnen European Quintet), Austria
Slovakia Tour 2010 (Juraj Rasi Group) included concerts and TV performances
Germany Tour 2010 (Daniel Cacija Band) concerts and Radio show in Frankfurt)
Cserfo Jazz Festival 2010 (Steve Gut Quintet), Hungary
Holland Tour 2011 (Maaike Den Dunnen European Quintet) show at the North Sea Jazz Festival
UK Tour 2011 (Arabella Sprot Quartet), United Kingdom, performing together with UK trumpeter Steve Waterman
Leibnitz Jazz Festival 2011 (with drummer legend Billy Hart), Austria
Austria/Hungary/Germany/Croatia Tour 2011 (Daniel Cacija Band)
International Jazz Festival Prague 2011 (Maaike Den Dunnen European Quintet), Czech
Jazz Festival Subotica 2012 (Sofija Knezevic Quartet), Serbia
Leibnitz Jazz Festival 2012 (with vocalist Deborah Carter, Austria
Montreal Jazz Festival 2013 (Jazz Composers-Series), Canada
OpenJazzFest Zelena Voda 2013 (Daniel Cacija Band), Slovakia
The One And Only Tommy Dorsey Orchestra USA & Canada Tour Oct 26th - Dec 6th 2014, (USA, Canada)
Colorado Tour 2015 (The Myles Sloniker Trio) May 24th - June 1st, USA
Chelsea Music Festival 2015 (Tuomo Uusitalo Trio feat. Olavi Louhivuori) New York City, USA
JazzKukko Jazz Festival Tuomo Uusitalo/Kari Antila Duo Aug 7th 2016 Finland
Colorado Tour 2016 (The Tuomo Uusitalo Trio) October 5th – 13th, USA
The One And Only Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Lisbon, Portugal – Miami (Cross Atlantic) Oct – Nov 2016, (Portugal, US Virgin Islands, USA)
The One And Only Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Dallas TX to Chicago IL Tour March 16th - 25th 2017, (USA)
The One And Only Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Miami – Los Angeles Crystal Cruise April – May 2017, (USA, Colombia, Panama, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Mexico)
JazzKukko Jazz Festival included various performances and workshops Aug 2017 Finland
The One And Only Tommy Dorsey Orchestra West Coast Tour Oct 2017, (USA)
The Tuomo Uusitalo Trio Europe Tour Oct – Nov 2017, (Latvia, Austria, Spain, Italy, Turkey)
JazzKukko Jazz Festival included various performances and workshops July 2018 Finland
Ventspils Groove Festival included various performances and workshops Aug 2018 Latvia
The Postmodern Jukebox 2018 European Tour -Nov 9th-Dec 16th 2018
The Rochester International Jazz Festival 2019 (Tuomo Uusitalo Trio feat. Chris Cheek) Rochester, NY, USA
JazzKukko Jazz Festival included various performances and workshops July 2019 Finland
Ventspils Groove Festival included various performances and workshops Aug 2019 Latvia
New New Trio 2019 Tour - October 23rd -30th 2019 (Finland - Latvia - Estonia)
The One And Only Tommy Dorsey Orchestra Lisbon, Portugal – Ft. Lauderdale (Cross Atlantic Crystal Cruise) Nov 2019, (Portugal, US Virgin Islands, USA)
Gardner/Parker/Uusitalo 2019 Fall Tour - December 2019 (Indiana, USA)
Pori Jazz International Festival 2022 Gunu Karjalainen Quartet - July 2022 (Pori, Finland)
Case Kamarainen US Tour 2022 - November 2022 (New York-Missouri-Illinois, USA)
Pori Jazz International Festival 2023 Various Concerts, Tuomo Uusitalo Trio, Max Zenger Globus - July 2023 (Pori, Finland)
Case Kamarainen Finnish Jazz Federation tour 2023 - September 2023 (Finland)
Tuomo Uusitalo Trio - Finland Jazz Federation Tour 2024
Simon Zion - Ballads Session Tour 2024
Awards:
The Art Association of Ylojarvi: Scholarship For An Extraordinary Musical Talent 2006 (Finland)
Jazz Bar Poppari's Rising Young Talent Of The Year 2007 (Finland)
The Downbeat Student Music Award 2012 for the Best Small Group (Tuomo Uusitalo Trio)
The Downbeat Student Music Award 2012 for the Best Latin Group (Marco Antonio Da Costa Group)
Sir Roland Hanna Award, City University of New York 2013
The Downbeat Student Music Award 2013 for the Best Jazz Vocalist (accompanying Vocalist Daniel Cacija)
Pori Jazz Festival Artist Of The Year Award 2023
Teaching:
Jyvaskyla Conservatory; Deputy Professor for Jazz Piano April 2010 (Finland)
Podgorica Jazz Appreciation Month May 2010; assistant teacher, Steve Gut Quintet (Montenegro)
Jyvaskyla Conservatory; Artist in Residence February 2011; Tuomas Paukku Quintet (Finland)
Numerous private students since 2005 in Finland, Austria, Germany as well as in the USA
Numerous jazz camps, master classes and work shops since 2011
Advanced piano teacher at the Gold Coast Arts Center, Great Neck, NY 2015-2016
Professor of Jazz Composition at the Latvian Academy Of Music, Riga, Latvia since 2019
Pop/Jazz Piano Teacher at Kallio Music Academy, Helsinki Finland since 2022
Education:
West-Pirkanmaa Music Academy (Finland); Classical Piano/music theory, graduated with honors 2006
Jyvaskyla Pop-Jazz Conservatory (Finland); Jazz Performance, graduated with honors 2008
The University Of Music And Performing Arts Graz (Austria); Undergraduate Degree Jazz Performance, Composition & Arranging, graduated with honors 2012
The City University Of New York, Queens College (USA); Graduate Degree Jazz Performance, Composition & Arranging, graduated with honors 2014