Iiro Rantala
Born in Helsinki Finland on January 19, 1970, Iiro Rantala is a jazz and classical pianist who has been involved with numerous acts including Trio Töykeät, Big Bad Family, SaloRantala Soi, and others. He studied at the conservatory in 1983 and specialized in pop and jazz. At the same time, he took private lessons from Seppo Kantonen. He composed music for the group Ikivirheät while performing in the Big Bad Family orchestra, who released their self-titled debut album in 1988. That same year, he began attending the Sibelius Academy and formed the Trio Töykeät. Rantala and the trio toured Europe, won awards in Belgium, and released their debut album Päivää in 1990. Following a stint at Manhattan School of New York in 1990, Rantala studied classical piano for three years and formed the group Tango Kings with accordionist GIl Goldstein. He continued working with Trio Tökeät while also recording with the Tapiola Sinfonietta (2006’s Concerto for Piano and Concerto in G♯ΔA♭), the Iiro Rantala New Trio (2008’s Elmo), and others. He also recorded a string of solo albums including Lost Heroes (2011), My History of Jazz (2012) and the John Lennon-inspired My Working Class Hero (2015). He worked with Pekka Kuusisto, Jukka Perko, Michael Wollny, Leszek Mozdzer and others. More releases included How Long Is Now? (2016) with Lars Danielsson and Peter Erskine, Good Stuff (2017), My Finnish Calendar (2019) and Playing Gershwin (2020).
©Copyright Music Story Stephen Schnee 2023
-
Veneziana (Live)
Iiro Rantala, Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic
Classical - Released by ACT Music on 26 May 2023
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
How Long Is Now?
Iiro Rantala with Lars Danielsson & Peter Erskine
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 26 Aug 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic V: Lost Hero - Tears for Esbjörn (Live)
Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic, Lars Danielsson, Iiro Rantala, Viktoria Tolstoy, Ulf Wakenius, Morten Lund
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 26 Feb 2016
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
My History of Jazz
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 25 Oct 2012
24-Bit 88.2 kHz - Stereo -
Playing Gershwin
Iiro Rantala, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen
Classical - Released by ACT Music on 31 Jan 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
My Finnish Calendar
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 30 Aug 2019
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Potsdam (Live)
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 25 Mar 2022
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Anyone with a Heart
Iiro Rantala with Adam Baldych & Asja Valcic
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 28 Feb 2014
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
My Working Class Hero
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 28 Aug 2015
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
-
Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic I
Leszek Możdżer, Iiro Rantala, Michael Wollny
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 22 Mar 2013
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic VII: Piano Night (Live)
Leszek Możdżer, Iiro Rantala, Michael Wollny, Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 5 May 2017
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart, Bernstein, Lennon (Live)
Classical - Released by ACT Music on 27 Apr 2018
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic IX: Pannonica (Live) (Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic IX)
Jazz at Berlin Philharmonic, Iiro Rantala, Ernie Watts, Charenee Wade, Angelika Niescier, Dan Berglund
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 14 Jun 2019
24-Bit 48.0 kHz - Stereo -
My Finnish Calendar (Track by Track Commentary)
Jazz - Released by ACT Music on 30 Aug 2019
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Risto Räppääjä ja Polkupyörävaras (Soundtrack from the Musical)
Children - Released by Liverace Oy on 2 Feb 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
RANTALA, I.: Piano Concerto and Concerto in G sharp major / A flat major / Astorale / Tangonator / Final Fantasy (Rantala)
Iiro Rantala, Tapiola Sinfonietta, Jaakko Kuusisto
Classical - Released by Ondine on 1 Jan 2006
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Risto Räppääjä ja Viileä Venla (Soundtrack from the Musical)
Children - Released by Liverace Oy on 2 Feb 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
-
Tough Stuff
Iiro Rantala, Conor Chaplin, Anton Eger
Jazz - To be released on 31 May 2024 by ACT Music
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo