The Quartet was born in 1999 in the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, where all the members were studying at that time. Immediately it became clear that these four individual musicians wanted to put the emphasis on creating a personal sound of the quartet by composing own material and arranging standards as well as some Finnish folk tunes in their own way.

On September 26, 1999, the Alexi TUOMARILA Quartet won 1st Prize at the International Jazz Contest Hoeilaart, Belgium and Alexi TUOMARILA also received the Prize for the Best Soloist.

In 2001, the band won the Avignon European Jazz Contest and the pianist collected other prizes as a soloist.

The band has been performing on regular basis in the Belgian jazzclubs and jazzfestivals, as well on some major events throughout Europe and beyond.

Prizes :
- 1st Prize at the 21st International Jazz Contest Hoeilaart, Belgium, 1999
- Prize for Best Soloist at the 21st International Jazz Contest Hoeilaart, Belgium, 1999
- 1st Prize at the 3rd International Jazz Soloist Competition Monaco, 2001
- Finalist at the 4th International Solo Piano Competition Montreux, Switserland, 2001
- 1st Prize at the 10th European Jazz Competition Avignon, France, 2001
- Nomination for the New Jazz Talent at Django d'Or 2001 - "Voices of Pohjola" voted Jazz Record of the Year 2001 in Helsingin Sanomat (Finland)


Festivals/Major Events :
2002
- Festival la Tour D'Aiges (France)
- Tremplin Jazz Festival (Avignon - France)
- Auxerre Jazz (France)
- Espaa Jazz Festival (Helsinki - Finland)
- Gaume Jazz Festival (Rossignol - Belgium)
- Kalott Jazz Festival (Sweden/Finland)
- Karma Club (Naxos - Greece)
- European Jazz Festival (Athens - Greece)
- Kainuu Jazz Festival (Finland)
- La nuit des Lundis d'Hortense (La Louvière - Belgium)
- Entre Vues (Brussels - Belgium)

2001
- Melbourne International Jazz Festival (Australia)
- SIMA Side-on Café (Sydney - Australia)
- Orange Jazz (Orange - Australia)
- Trondheim Jazz Festival (Norway)
- Audi Jazz Festival (Belgium)
- Vilnius Jazz Festival (Lithuania)
- Tremplin Jazz Festival (Avignon - France)
- Jazz Middelheim (Antwerp - Belgium)
- Lundis d'Hortence Festival (Brussels - Belgium)
- Jazz under the Northern Lights (Saariselkä - Finland)
- JazzLab Series (Throughout Belgium)
- Carnaval du Jazz (Holland)
- Jazz in't Park (Gent - Belgium)
- Nam'in'Jazz Festival (Namur - Belgium)
- Sint-Goriks Hallen - Brussels Philharmonic Society (Brussels - Belgium)
- Cultuurmarkt (Antwerp - Belgium)

2000
- Getxo Jazz Festival (Spain)
- Jazz à Liège (Belgium)
- Carnaval du Jazz (Holland)
- April Jazz Festival (Espoo - Finland)
- Brussels Jazz Marathon (Belgium)
- Cologne Jazz Night (Germany)
- Salons de la Musique (Paris - France)
- Kaamos Jazz Festival (Saariselkä - Finland)
- Meeting Point Jazz Festival (Brussels - Belgium)
- Festival van Vlaanderen (Mechelen - Belgium)
- Cultuurmarkt (Antwerp - Belgium)

PRESS ARTICLES

Ainoa suomalainen modernisti oli toistaiseksi tuntumaton mutta erinomainen pianisti Aleksi Tuomarila josta tullaan viellä kuulemaan

The only modern Finnish musician was the not so well known but excellent pianist, Aleksi Tuomarila, from whom you will be hearing a lot in the near future (Helsingin Sanomat - May 1, 2000 - critics on April Jazz 2000, Espoo)

Aleksi Tuomarila tarjoilee jazzia espoolais-brysseläisellä otteella: Lähinnä läntistä Eurooppa kiertävä Aleksi Tuomarila Quartetti käväisi soitamassa April Jazzeilla ja katosi jälleen maailmalle (...). He perustivat yhtyeensä noin vuosi sitten, ja sen nousu alkoi 1999 järjestetystä, 21 International Jazz Contest- Hoeilaartista (...). Kappaleet ovat omia persoonallisia sävellyksiä, emmekä soita Suomessa jo kymeniä vuosia muodissa ollutta niin sanottua salsa/latino-jazzia (...). He ovat vapaampia kokeilemaan, olemaan luovia ja silti saamaan kuulijakuntaa ja arvostusta (...)"

Aleksi Tuomarila presents jazz with roots in Espoo and Brussels: The members of the Aleksi Tuomarila Quartet, who are mainly performing in western Europe, came to show their skills at the April Jazz Festival and returned afterwards back into the wide world (...). They formed their band about a year ago and their climb of succes started after winning the 21st International Jazz Contest Ð Hoeilaart, in 1999 (...)The compositions are their own, personal songs and they don't play the salsa/latin-jazz, which has been dominating the Finnish scene for years now (...). They have a more free, creative and excellent way of playing, which earns them a lot of respect (...) (Länsiväyla Ð May 3, 2000 - critics on April Jazz 2000, Espoo)


The playing comes largely from outside the country, because of the young Finnish pianist, who goes by the soft name of Alexi Tuomarila. He will kick more than one visitor of the festival in the ass Ð excuse us for the expression, but it seems to be the only convenient one to us. Tuomarila will be one of the most inflamed surprises of this 10th edition. A revelation, like many others on the Contest of Hoeilaart, this guy has in his fingers an unseen push, that resists the moments of high velocity. And it doesn't spoil anything, it really swings! At his side, an other recent prizewinner, Nicolas Kummert on tenor saxophone, who won the prize for best soloist at the first Jazz Contest organized by Maison du Jazz at Eben-Emael, in 1998. And a rhythm-section from the north of the country we are starting to see a bit all over the country: Christophe Devisscher (double bass) and Teun Verbruggen (drums). "That's a real drivin' quartet, man! "(Jazz à Liège - April 4, 2000 - description of the band by the festival organizers)

With this quartet of young talented musicians, the young promising Finnish piano player, by the name of Alexi Tuomarila, won the latest edition of the International Jazz Contest, Hoeilaart. The band plays virtuoso and contemporary jazz and all the musicians Ð in composing as well in their solistic excursions Ð are supplying the music with exceptional creativity. Together with Nicolas Kummert on tenor saxophone, Teun Verbruggen on drums and Christophe Devisscher on bass, Alexi gets the possibility to convince the public of the highly evolved quality of this ensemble (...) This quartet is a pure revelation, young wolves with a great future! (Brussels Jazz Marathon Ð May 26, 2000 - description of the band by the festival organizers)


Lately there has been a lot of talking about the modern be-bop, delivered by the Finnish pianist, Alexi Tuomarila, accompanied by three young Belgians. Four musicians who are allready manifesting sensible and subtle dexterity. The Quartet is evolving on their personal compositions of which the features need to get affirmation (Le Soir - May 8, 2000 - critics on Jazz à Liège 2000)


We are very pleased to be able to bring this exceptional quartet to Heerlen. I am convinced that, in a few years from now, we will say to eachother, they performed as second top act in our new jazzbasement under Ristorante MASSIMO at the Wilhelmina Square. Because this very young but incredibly mature formation is going to make all over Europe, spoken by a very enthusiastic Carnaval Du Jazz-Chairman Marc Bosch (...) The Alexi Tuomarila Quartet has a very personal sound. Jazz of the highest level. Their fresh arrangments of famous jazzstandards, but their personal compositions as well in which the Finnish folkmusic resounds, are truly unique. (De Telegraaf - September 08, 2000 - Critics Carnaval du Jazz, Heerlen, Holland)