Future Food Factory

Mikko Hassinen (b. 1971) is a musician of many styles and forms. He is a percussionist, composer, arranger, conductor and producer who has been a part of the Värttinä folk group for the last ten years. Soon, we will also be the artistic director of a big band, “the symphony orchestra of jazz”, for the second time in his career: January marks the beginning of his three-year term as the fourth artistic director of Turku Jazz Orchestra. 

Of course, Hassinen has also done some composing for jazz orchestras, most recently for the anniversary of Espoo Big Band. Their Blood Red (2021) record is a layered work of a meticulous craftsman and one of Hassinen’s finest. 

But being at the helm of his own ensembles has always been “somewhat painful” for Hassinen, as has “highlighting any of your own works”. Perhaps the only better-known group of Hassinen, Elektro GT, combines various styles of rhythmic music and won a sizeable Teosto Prize with their debut album (2014). The group and its two releases have allowed Hassinen to make the most of his interest in the computer-based post-production and playing with electro-acoustic elements.

Hassinen’s newly formed acoustic four-man group Future Food Factory and its freshly released debut album are much more restrained – or so he wants you to believe. There may be a few surprises along the way, which is a part of the essence of jazz. With Future Food Factory, Hassinen wants to “explore musical ideas from both sides of the axis: composed and fully improvised as well as acoustic and electronic”.

But why Future Food Factory? “The name came to me as an inspirational and motivational ‘request’. I want to think that the best and most interesting projects are still up ahead.”

Mikko Hassinen has composed the new repertoire of Jaska Lukkarinen Trio, who will perform at Tampere Jazz Happening at Telakka on Saturday at 00.00 right after Future Food Factory.