-

November 11, 2006, was a very emotional evening. After nearly 20 years together and thousands of concerts around the world, the Finnish trio Töykeät, led by pianist Iiro Rantala, performed live for the last time. For Rantala, it was both an ending and a beginning. As difficult as it was to break up what was probably the most influential, but certainly the most humorous piano trio in the Finnish jazz world, he was able to try out many different ensembles from then on – in jazz, classical music, and occasional rock and pop careers. Rantala's ACT debut Lost Heroes in 2011 foreshadowed his second international career. This was followed by more solo and duo albums, magnificent piano concerts with Michael Wollny and Leszek Mo?d?er, among others, and orchestral recordings with members of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and the Berlin Philharmonic. Rantala composed an entire Christmas oratorio for the Cantores Minores choir and the opera Die Zaubermelodika for the Komische Oper Berlin. Rantala composed an entire Christmas oratorio for the Cantores Minores choir and the opera Die Zaubermelodika for the Komische Oper Berlin. He has also made several music programs for Finnish television and is currently producing his own podcast, Algoyrtmi, on European jazz.