UZone, Kimmo Pohjonen (Finland)

Kimmo Pohjonen is one of the few artists who has managed to create his own genre with his compositions and original projects.
For the past 30 years, Pohjonen’s most sought-after project around the world has been his solo, which is the main laboratory of Pohjonen’s creativity and discovery.

“The central idea of my solo career has been to break the strong stereotypes associated with playing the accordion and the instrument itself. 60 Zone is a work where the sound world and compositions are finally what I want to hear from the accordion itself. My current electro-acoustic accordion is, in my opinion, the most versatile instrument I can imagine playing. Using a new playing technique, I play several harmonic and rhythmic layers with the accordion and the human voice at the same time live. Creating my own sound world is increasingly influencing the diversity of my compositions. My accordion controls sound, visual images and acts as a machine that conveys musical, political and religious invitations to dance.

“Kimmo Pohjonen extends the range of the accordion beyond anything I’ve previously heard.( Songlines)
“The kind of freewheeling performer who could easily have slotted alongside John Zorn and Han Bennink. Inimitable.” (The Guardian)
”Calling Kimmo Pohjonen an accordionist is a bit like describing the Encyclopedia Brittanica as a book.” (The Herald, Scotland)
“The music is sheer physicality… ” (New York Times)

Kimmo Pohjonen, elektro-akustinen harmonikka / electro-acoustic accordion
Sami Tammela, äänisuunnittelu / sound design
VJ Hellstone, visuaalinen suunnittelu / visual design