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Artist
Manuel Dunkel
12+ albums
saxophonejazz
about
Manuel Dunkel (b. 2.11.1971) comes from the city of Vantaa, Finland. Recognized as one of the strongest voices in Finnish jazz scene today, his international class musicianship and passionate playing has been praised in Finland since early -90`s. Dunkel´s playing is charcterized by rich and strong saxophone sound, well-developed melodic lines and intense swing. Dunkel got heavily into jazz in his teens, absorbing and practising jazz language from the records. He was fascinated especially by saxophonist John Coltrane, who became one of Dunkel´s main influence. Dunkel studied first at the Oulunkylä Pop & Jazz Conservatory, then entered the Sibelius-Academy Jazz Program, where he earned his Master´s degree in 2004. In the early 90´s Dunkel build his reputation as an adaptable and expressive musician in various musical settings from funk to straight-ahead jazz. Since 1994 he has been a member of the UMO Jazz Orchestra (the leading professional big band in Finland), which has given Dunkel invaluable experience not only of the group playing, but also as a soloist. Dunkel`s skills and intense playing was soon noted by public and critics, and as a result he received the Pekka Pöyry- saxophone award 1996 and was voted as "The Best Tenor Saxophonist" in Jazz Rytmit- magazine 1999-2001. After developing his musicianship as a side-man, Dunkel started to lead his quartet in 1996. The quartet made two well received CD`s, toured Finland and played in EBU-concert at the April Jazz Internat
