American jazz guitarist
Musical artist
Raoul Melvin Björkenheim (born February 11, 1956) is a Finnish-American jazz guitarist, who has lived in Helsinki,[1] New York,[1] and Los Angeles.[2]
His mother is Finnish-American actress Taina Elg.[3] In his teens he moved to Finland.[2] He attended the Helsinki Conservatory and the Berklee School of Music.[2] His professional career began in the 1980s with Finnish jazz drummer Edward Vesala.[4] After recording three albums with Vesala, he formed Krakatau.[2][4] During the 1990s he reduced the band to a trio. He recorded an album with guitarist Nicky Skopelitis that was produced by Bill Laswell.[4]
Björkenheim has composed for the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, and the UMO Jazz Orchestra[2] and worked as a soloist with the Avanti! Chamber Orchestra and Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra.[4] He recorded three albums for Rune Grammofon in the Scorch Trio with Ingebrigt Håker Flaten (bass) and Paal Nilssen-Love (drums).[4] Other collaborators include Hamid Drake, William Parker, Kalle Kalima,[4] and the band Kvalda.[5]
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