Villu Veski -
Education -
1980 - 1985 Estonian Academy of Music
Completed himself in Tatabanya Jazz Camp, Hungary under tenor-saxophonist Ernie Wilkins from the USA (1988) and in Conservatoire of Paris Summer Academy in Nice with professor Claude Delangle (1989).
Professional Experience -
In 1983-87 Villu Veski has won several prizes on various contests for wind players in the former USSR.
- Since 1982 he is teaching saxophone and improvisation in Tallinn Music School
- Since 1999 he is teaching saxophone and improvisation in Viljandi cultural College
- He has been teaching in workshops in Germany and in Norway.
- Since 1999 he is a member of the board of Estonian Performers' Association

- His repertoire includes classical compositions for alto saxophone and large amount of music for saxophone quartet. In the field of Jazz he prefers old swing style, etno-jazz and funky-groove.
- He has performed frequently on Festivals of Estonian Music and on Contemporary Music Festival NYYD, performing new works of Estonian composers. He has done first performances of saxophone concertos by Estonian composers Eino Tamberg and Hillar Kareva, both written specially for him.
- He has performed as soloist with Estonian State Symphonic Orchestra, Pärnu City Orchestra, and Tallinn Chamber Orchestra with conductors Neeme Järvi, Peeter Lilje, Vello Pähn, Arvo Volmer and Tarmo Leinatamm.
- He is also active in chamber music, performing with pianists and other ensembles. He belongs to Tallinn Saxophone Quartet, which has given concerts both in Estonia and abroad, including The 11th World Saxophone Congress 1997 in Spain, Valencia; 12th World Saxophone Congress 2000 in Canada, Montreal.

- In 1998 Villu Veski and accordionist Tiit Kalluste initiated duo-project Sounds of the Nordic Islands, which included performances on The 2nd EuroCass Congress in Krakov, Poland (1998), 12th World Saxophone Congress in Montreal, Canada (2000), World EXPO 2000 in Hannover, London Royal Music College (2000), Stockholm Museum of Modern Art (2000), as well as concerts on Faroe Islands, Gotland, Öland, Aland and other Nordic islands, also in Moscow, Vilnius and Riga.

- In the field of Jazz Villu Veski has been the founder and leader of groups Avicenna (1986-1990) and Saxappeal Band (since 1992). He has performed with pianist and singer Sergei Manukjan, singer Debbie Cameron, percussionist Abdissa Assefa, zitar-player Baluji Shrivastav and percussionist Matti Oiling etc.

- He has participated in all Jazz Festivals in Estonia, in many Scandinavian festivals: Pori International Jazz (1988/1999/2001), Bergen Nattjazz (1994), Copenhagen European Cultural Capital "Artgenda '96", as well as in Tbilisi International Jazz Festival (1986), Festival "Ossennije Ritmy" in Leningrad (1990), "Stupenka v Parnass" in Moscow (1990), Adolphe Sax Festival in Dinant, Belgium (1994).

- Villu Veski has been active as composer as well. He has created music for TV-ads, in 1999 he created music for TV-documental "Around the World in 90 Days" with 13 parts, which have been shown on Discovery Travel Channel, BBC/Flextech UK Style and TVF International.

Recordings -
Tallinn Saxophone Quartet LP1989
Sergei Manukjan & Avicenna LP1989
Tallinn Saxophone Quartet plays Bach & Jazz CD1994
Oh, Lady Be Cool, Saxappeal Band CD1994
Sounds of the Nordic Islands,
duo Villu Veski and Tiit Kalluste CD1998
Estonian National Symphony Orchestra
Eino Tamberg/Saxophone Concerto/Villu Veski CD2000
TTU Malechoir/Tallinn Saxophone Quartet CD2000
Sounds of the Nordic Islands II
Villu Veski/Tiit Kalluste 5-tet CD2001

 
Tiit Kalluste -
Education :
1981-1986 Estonian Academy of Music
1977- 1981 Tallinn Music School (Georg Ots Music School)
Professional Experience:
- After graduation from Estonian Academy of Music Tiit Kalluste has been active as free-lance performer, mainly in the field of jazz.
- Since 1997 he is professor of Viljandi Cultural College.
- Since 1998 he is teaching accordion and improvisation in pop-jazz department of Tallinn Music School
- In 1998 and 1999 he was teaching in Nilsiä jazz-camp (Finland)
- In 1999 he was elected for President of Estonian Accordion Association

- Tiit Kalluste has performed on all major jazz festivals in Estonia, as well as on Pori International Jazz (1999, Finland), Dahlsbruk Jazz (1996, Finland). With his swing-jazz group "Tiit Kalluste Jump Band" he has performed on many accordion festivals, both in Estonia and abroad.

- In different projects he has played together with such musicians as pianist Mika Pohjola (USA), percussionist Abdissa Assefa (Ethiopia), saxophonist Petras Vyshniauskas (Lithuania), singers Debbie Cameron (Denmark) and Laima Vaikule (Latvia), Marie N (Latvia), mouth-organist and pianist Raimonds Macats (Latvia), percussionist Matti Oiling (Finland), pianist and composer Raimonds Pauls (Latvia) etc.

-In 1998 Tiit Kalluste and saxophonist Villu Veski initiated duo-project Sounds of the Nordic Islands, which included performances on The 2nd EuroCass Congress in Krakov, Poland (1998), 12th World Saxophone Congress in Montreal, Canada (2000), World EXPO 2000 in Hannover, London Royal Music College (2000), Stockholm Museum of Modern Art (2000), European Parliament (2002), as well as concerts on Faroe Islands, Gotland, Öland, Aland and other Nordic islands, also in Buenos Aires, Moscow, Vilnius and Riga.
The music from "Sounds of the Nordic Islands I and II" is used in film "Tallinn-Valga-Tallinn" (ExitFilm) and in documentary "A Journey Trough Estonia" by NDR-channel.

Recordings:
"Steamship Quartet" 1991
"Swing Accordion" 1993
"Pump Jump Fellows" 1998
"Sounds of the Nordic Islands" 1998
"Sounds of the Nordic Islands II" 2002
He has participated on more than 10 albums of other musicians ("Debbie Cameron & Avicenna", "Kiigelaulukuuik", "Yölento", "Üksi", Hüüd ja Hääl" etc.)

 

The Composer, Producer and Arranger Raimonds Macats was born in 1961.

Raimonds trained at the Latvian Academy of Music as a violoncellist and has repeatedly been an International Contest Laureate.

He has played in bands such as "SIPOLI", " INVERSIJA", " ODIS" as a keyboardist. In 1991 he toured in the USA with "ODIS" and took part in Ramsey Lewis musical program "Black Entertainment Television" in Washington.

Since 1993 Raimonds has worked in Laima Vaikule show group as a musical director.

He plays regularly in Raimonds Pauls show programs and has worked with almost every musician in Latvia.

Raimonds has arranged and produced more than 15 CD's including "Laima" and several Raimonds Pauls and Imants Kalnins projects.

Raimonds Macats is the only musician in Latvia who professionally plays harmonica. He has been touring in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Israel, Germany, USA and Russia.

In 2000 Raimonds founded a contemporary jazz quintet "R.M.B."

Now Raimonds works with well-known Estonian musicians like Villu Veski and Tiit Kalluste and plays harmonica.

The hottest project is coming out soon - Raimonds instrumental CD.

 
Taavo Remmel (born 1964) has studied double-bass in Tallinn Musical College and Tallinn State Music Academy.

He has worked in Estonian State Symphony Orchestra and in the early music ensemble Hortus Musicus, but his main career has been in many different jazz ensembles and projects (he has made music with Tiit Paulus, Lembit Saarsalu, Tõnu Naissoo, Villu Veski, Tatevik Hovanesjan, Bryan Melvin, Matti Oiling, Tommy Mansikka-Aho and other well known musicians).

He has given concerts in Scandinavian and Central Europan countries and in Canada, also partipated in the Eurovision Song Contest in Norway in 1996.

He has written both songs and instrumental music. This year main events are partipication in the united concert of New York Voices and Estonian Dream Big Band, and concerts with Siiri Sisask and Hüüd&Hääl.

RealAudio: Villu Veski & Tiit Kalluste 5-tet - Voyage (from "Sounds of the Nordic Islands II" 2001)
MP3: Villu Veski & Tiit Kalluste 5-tet - Voyage (from "Sounds of the Nordic Islands II" 2001)
RealAudio: Villu Veski & Tiit Kalluste 5-tet - The Wellspring (from "Sounds of the Nordic Islands II" 2001)
MP3: Villu Veski & Tiit Kalluste 5-tet - The Wellspring (from "Sounds of the Nordic Islands II" 2001)
RealMovie: Villu Veski & Tiit Kalluste 5-tet at the Viljandi Folk Festival

  "Muhu Future Music Festival
"JUU JÄÄB 2002"
28-30th June 2002

  "Sounds of the Nordic Islands II" TUTL HJF 92 now available.

  NDR-channel will show the documentary "A Journey Through Estonia." featuring a soundtrack by Villu Veski and Tiit Kalluste on 23rd of May at 8.15pm.

  9th. Aug. Leigo Lake Music:
Villu Veski/Tiit Kalluste 5-tet "Sounds of the Nordic Islands II"
Mari Boine Group