(Jarkko Toivonen's Brasilialainen Kitara)

Jarkko Toivonen, 1997.

Introduction

Jarkko's guitar playing demands a serious listening. There is simply no other way to put it. His musicianship, style, arrangements, and preciseness on the acoustic guitar put him right up there with the likes of Laurindo Almeida, Luiz Bonfa, and Baden Powell of Brazil. And that's no exaggeration.

There is no way you would know just by listening to this music that Jarkko hails from Finland and not Brazil. He has truly mastered the style, the feeling, that unique quality of Brazilian music (especially in samba and bossa nova numbers) that says "genuine" in every note. He is one with this music. He understands what Brazilian music is all about. What you are listening to is no imitation, it is truly THE REAL THING.

If you love Brazilian music and relish hearing the acoustic guitar played really well, you will truly enjoy the albums that Jarkko and his masterful Trio and Quartet have recorded. If you savor the playing and musicianship of Almeida, Bonfa, and Powell - it will not take any effort at all to listen to Jarkko.

I would like to personally thank Jarkko himself for his assistance in creating this site by providing me with photos and textual information on his career and life. And a special thank you goes to Arnaldo DeSouteiro for introducing me to Jarkko's music!

--B.J. (Barbara J.) Major
Introduction written June 2002

Index

ALL-RECORDING INDEX--HERE
DISCOGRAPHY OF JARKKO TOIVONEN: LP, CD
VIDEOGRAPHY OF JARKKO TOIVONEN: ON YOUTUBE

BIOGRAPHY & ARTICLES--HERE

PHOTO GALLERY--HERE

Other Jarkko & Brazilian Music Links--HERE

NOTE: THIS SITE HAS NOW BEEN TOTALLY REORGANIZED AND REDONE IN RECORD LABEL ORDER.

** This discography created in June 2002 **

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Original site layout and textual content of this site Copyright © 2002-2013, B.J. Major. This site was created with the permission and assistance of Jarkko Toivonen, who supplied information and material for it. Interview transcriptions, if present, have not been edited for content. Pictured album cover photos and CD booklet pages are copyright of their respective record labels and are used here only for information and illustration purposes. This is a private site and is not owned in part or whole by any company or corporation.