How does the beginning of an apocalypse sound like, the short moment when only grannies and seagulls are alive? AINON takes the listener on a journey through different times and spaces creating strong images to stop by. It creaks and floats until all of a sudden starts a rhythmic weave that one can grip on.

“Ainon’s compositions are filled with a rare sense of sophistication that combines the playful elements of jazz with the weightier approach of classical music seamlessly. “

All About Jazz / Friedrich Kunzmann

AINON is a Finnish quartet founded by cellist-composer Aino Juutilainen in 2017. The music has influences of jazz, contemporary music and classical music. The combination of the instruments in the quartet is not the most conventional, Juutilainen plays cello, Merimaija Aalto violin and viola, Milo Linnovaara saxophone, clarinet and flute and Joonas Leppänen drums. The music is partly improvised and partly composed for these specific players. The different personalities of the players are present in changing atmospheres and layers of time.  AINON’s music is personal and it is difficult to fit it directly in any existing genre. AINON combines different influences associating freely and reaches the listener with the playful attitude.  

AINON’s concert in Tenho Restobar was listed in the top 10 jazz concerts of 2018 in “kohta… jazzii” -blog. Since then AINON has played at some of the main scenes for Finnish jazz and experimental music like We Jazz festival, Jazz Espa, JazzAnti and Validi Karkia -club among many others. AINON recorded its first album in the summer 2019 and the record was released on We Jazz records in September 2020. In the autumn 2021 AINON is heading to Vapaat äänet tour around Finland.

Concert reviews:
https://kulttuurii.wordpress.com/2018/09/26/matka-ajan-ja-avaruuden-halki-ainonin-kanssa/

https://www.hs.fi/nyt/art-2000006591059.html

Album reviews:
https://www.allaboutjazz.com/2-quartets-on-we-jazz-records

https://www.therestandstheglass.com/reviews-and-commentary/album-review-ainon-drought

https://www.stereogum.com/2098849/the-month-in-jazz-september-2020/franchises/columns/ugly-beauty/

https://www.soundi.fi/levyarviot/levyarvio-ainon-kiepsauttaa-maailman-fuusiollaan-ympari-drought-yhdistaa-jazzin-ja-klassisen-uniikilla-tavalla/

https://www.valonkuvia.fi/blogi/ainon-drought/