West coast music from Finland …
1996 Pekka Rautiainen made a record called “Haaveiden Hotelli” with EMI Finland (artist name Julius). “Kesä”-single got airplay on several radio stations in Finland and Julius was also seen on Finnish TV. The year 1996 reached its peak at the big gig on Olympic stadium in Helsinki; Julius was supporting Tina Turner!
2002 Pekka Rautiainen started his troubadour gigs with the name of PJ Rautiainen (www.pjrautiainen.fi). Music includes English and Finnish classic pop- and rock songs. And to this day he had made about 600 gigs around Finland.
2004 Pekka joined in a hard rock band called “House of Mirrors”. They made a record called “Nightflight to Paradise” with Escape Music ltd. Album got great reviews around Europe and 2006 followed the second album “Desolation”. After that Pekka concentrated to his solo career and continued as a troubadour.
2009, working 1,5 years as a team with producer, composer and arranger Tuomo Vähä-Pesola (who also played keys on the record), the first solo album of PJ Rautiainen is finished. The record pays homage to the sound of Westcoast and Classic rock.
The players are finnish top musicians: drums Anssi Nykänen, bass Harri Rantanen, saxofone Jukka Perko, guitars Seppo Tyni and Kari Riihimäki,percussion Mongo Aaltonen. The album was recorded at Studio Sunset (Pori) by Tuomo Vähä-Pesola and got mixed by Speedy Saarnen (Helsinki). Svante Forsbäck/ Chartmakers mastered the record.
2010 “Secret Isle” the first solo album of PJ Rautiainen is released.
Words by Bengt Isaksson. Read more about Pekka Rautiainen at his official website.
Discography
Secret Isle
PJR Records 2010
Tracks: Secret Isle, Falling For You, Everytime When It Rains, Hey Brother, Show Me The Way, Burning, This Burden, Clarity, Road Song, I Shout & Promise You.
Musicians on the Secret Isle album: Pekka Rautiainen, Jouni Saarinen, Kari Riihimaki, Tuomo Vaha-pesola, Harri Rantanen, Anssi Nykanen, Mongo Aaltonen, Kadi Vija, Seppo Tyni, Mikko Karjalainen and others.