Juhani Aaltonen
Photo: Motopark, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Saxophonists · b. 1935

Juhani Aaltonen

Finnish jazz saxophonist and flautist

Born
12 December 1935
Kouvola
Country
Finland
Discography
22 albums

Biography

Juhani Aaltonen is a jazz musician who plays saxophone, flute and tenor saxophone. Juhani Aaltonen was born on 12 December 1935 in Kouvola. The music is usually filed under jazz. The discography here lists 22 albums, from “Etiquette” (1974) to “Nostalgia” (2026). Honours include Knight First Class of the Order of the Lion of Finland.

Juhani Aaltonen (born December 12, 1935) is a Finnish jazz saxophonist and flautist. Born in Kouvola, Finland, he studied at Sibelius Academy and Berklee College of Music. He began playing professionally at the end of the 1950s. He played in a sextet led by Heikki Rosendahl during that time, and then studied flute performance at the Sibelius Academy and in the U.S. at the Berklee College of Music. Moving back to Finland, he settled in Helsinki and began working both as a session musician and with fusion groups. Later in the 1960s he formed a duo with Edward Vesala, as well as in the group Eero Koivistoinen for four years. He played with Tasavallan Presidentti in their earlier days, including for their first, eponymous, album. He recorded with Thad Jones and Mel Lewis and with Heikki Sarmanto in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and his first album as a soloist, Etiquette, was released in 1974.

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Discography

Studio and live albums

Etiquette 1974 · Love Records Strings 1976 · Love Records Springbird 1977 · Leo Records
Prana - Live at Groovy 1982 · Live
I Love You Lord 1991
Déja Vu 2000
Strings Revisited 2003
Reflections 2004 · Live
Approaching the Holy of Holies 2005
Kohti kaikkein pyhintä 2005
Illusion of a Ballad 2006
Carmina Sacra 2010
Conversations 2011
To Future Memories 2013
Tomorrow Is You 2013
Kirkastus 2015
Awakening 2018
Jazz Liisa 17 2018
Saarnaaja 2018
The Father, The Sons & The Junnu 2020
PLOP & Junnu 2022
Nostalgia 2026

Also plays on

Albums where Juhani Aaltonen is credited as a sideman

1974 Nan Madol — Edward Vesala bell, flute, piccolo, sopranino saxophone, tenor saxophone, other vocals
1977 Shimri — Arild Andersen percussion, woodwind
1977 Satu — Edward Vesala flute, alto flute, tenor saxophone, soprano saxophone
1978 Thad Jones, Mel Lewis & UMO — Thad Jones, Mel Lewis & UMO clarinet, woodwind

Awards

  • Knight First Class of the Order of the Lion of Finland

Frequently asked questions

What instrument does Juhani Aaltonen play?

Juhani Aaltonen is known for playing saxophone, flute and tenor saxophone.

When and where was Juhani Aaltonen born?

Juhani Aaltonen was born 12 December 1935 in Kouvola.

What are Juhani Aaltonen's best-known albums?

Albums in our database include Etiquette (1974), Strings (1976) and Springbird (1977).

External links

Data compiled from open sources; see the source links below. Spotted an error? Let us know.