Helsinki born drummer, composer and bandleader Jonatan Sarikoski (born in 1990) has been involved in the profession of music since 2006 in particular within the Finnish jazz community. A few of his merits include performing and/or recording with artists of the likes of Severi Pyysalo, Jouni Järvelä, Jukka Perko, Iiro Rantala, and UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra.
In the years between 2017 and 2023, right after completing his Bachelor’s degree at The Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Austria became his new home base, initially Graz, where he completed his Master’s degree as a student at Kunst Uni Graz, and later Vienna, where he lived as a freelancer for several years. In these surroundings he performed and/or collaborated with internationally recognised artists such as Andy Middleton, Julian Argüelles, Charlie Miklin, Renato Chicco, Danny Grissett and Wolfgang Muthspiel.
With music roots founded primarily in jazz, Sarikoski has been immersed in a wide range of stylistic surroundings, having been involved with numerous artists and ensembles of different continents, generations and of varied genres.
While being an active sideman, in recent years Sarikoski’s efforts have increasingly branched out to composition and leading his own projects. This is perhaps best represented in the international ensemble Jonatan Sarikoski Search Party, formed in 2018, which bore fruit to a debut album release in 2020 by the name of The Time Is Ripe (Unit Records).
After relocating back to Helsinki, Sarikoski is currently engaged in the sphere of music as a freelance performer, composer and occasional music teacher.