As an arranger/orchestrator:
Brief bio:
Jussi Lampela is a composer/arranger for film, TV and the concert stage, whose credits include compositions, orchestrations and arrangements for various sized ensembles, from duo to a symphony orchestra.
Lampela has written music for several documentaries, shortfilms and also music for a Finnish silent film for a live performance (“Meren kasvojen yllä“, dir. Teuvo Puro, 1926). As an arranger/orchestrator, he has worked on over 20 feature films and documentaries, for example movies Big Game (starring Samuel L. Jackson), Dark Floors (featuring the band Lordi, winner of Eurovision song contest in 2006) and Sel8nne (a biopic of Finnish ice-hockey player Teemu Selänne).
Lampela’s latest release as a composer is a big band album “Jazz Noir”, released in Sep 2022 by the Turku-based Flame Jazz Records, featuring Turku Jazz Orchestra with soloists Jukka Perko and Jukka Eskola.
During the years he has built a long-term relationship with Vantaa Orchestra, the only professional symphony-orchestra size pops orchestra in Finland. Lampela frequently arranges music for their concerts and also helps with concert programming, working as their music producer on varied projects.
Other important and frequent collaborators for him include Umo Jazz Orchestra, Oulu All Star Big Band, Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra, trumpeter Jukka Eskola and the various film scoring gigs he works as an arranger/orchestrator.
Over the years he’s also worked a lot with his 9-piece jazz ensemble Jussi Lampela Nonet. Together with trumpet player Jukka Eskola they’ve released “Lampela x Eskola” in 2010 (Ricky-Tick Records). The album was a nominee for the Finnish Jazz-Emma Prize as the Jazz Recording of the Year in 2010. Other projects with the Nonet include a piano concerto for the Finnish master pianist Iiro Rantala and a livealbum “Live in Kanneltalo” released in 2018.
Works for following orchestras (partial list):
Umo Jazz Orchestra
Vantaa Pops Orchestra
Oulu Symphony
Turku Philharmonic Orchestra
Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra
Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra
Jyväskylä Sinfonia
Kuopio Symphony Orchestra
Tapiola Sinfonietta
Pori Sinfonietta
Lahti Symphony Orchestra
Ostrobothnian Chamber Orchestra
The Guards Band
Finnish Navy Band
Turku Jazz Orchestra
Oulu All Star Big Band
Finnish Air Force Big Band
The Great Helsinki Swing Big Band
Works for following artists (partial list):
Jukka Perko
Jukka Eskola
Waltteri Torikka
Iiro Rantala
Lauri Porra
Kerkko Koskinen
Maria Ylipää
Aili Ikonen
Johanna Försti
Teppo Mäkynen
Mikko Kuustonen
Lenni-Kalle Taipale
Mari Palo
Saara Aalto
Pelle Miljoona
Ilkka Alanko
Jenni Vartiainen
Jari Sillanpää
A review of “Lampela x Eskola”, from Tokyo Jazz Notes-blog:
“Lampela x Eskola” is a bold and yet important statement proving that there is still a place for high quality music that may not translate into instant sales. Highly recommended.
A review of “Jazz Noir” record release concert in Sep 2022 from Turun Sanomat:
Teos vain kypsyy ja paranee. Levyltäkin sitä voi kuunnella. Levytys on arviolta täydellinen. Ainoa mikä puuttuu on ison orkesterin, solistien ja biisejä selittävän orkesterinjohtajan fyysinen läsnäolo. Juuri ihmisten läsnäolo tekee konsertista sen oikean paikan nauttia tästä mestariteoksesta, joka jää Suomen jazzin historiaan suursaavutuksena.