Finnish/Belgian based jazz guitarist, solo artist and composer.
Kari Antila is one of the most succesful jazz guitarist internationally coming from Finland.
Graduate of Metropolia, Helsinki, Finland and Gent Conservatory, Belgium, Kari has already many years kept busy schedule performing festivals and jazz clubs in different countries of Europe as leader and sideman.
Kari has also visited regularly New York last years and shared stage with many European and American leading contemporary jazz players like Will Vinson, Chad Lefkovitz-Brown, Livio Almeida, Eduardo Belo, Alexi Tuomarila, Manuel Dunkel, Severi Pyysalo, Peter Hertmans, Marc Godfroid and many others…
Kari has already released 3 internationally acclaimed albums as Leader and is also respected jazz composer, whose composition has been published in real book “Respect, Jazz in Finland “ and his compositions has been played for example in national radio of Finland, Belgium and France.
JAZZWISE magazine (UK) writes about Kari’s latest release “Guitar Stories”with Belgian guitarist Peter Hertmans: “The Belgian-based Finnish guitarist Kari Antila brings mentor Peter Hertmans along for the ride in an impressive quartet session, the pairing combining effortlessly on a wide spectrum of guitar jazz from chamber classical, bebop through to contemporary fusion!"
JAZZRYTMIT (Finland) writes about “Guitar Stories”: "Tasteful album and great interplay! Masterful jazz guitar duo. In this album Kari Antila proves to be part of European jazz guitar elite!"
“My favorite amp is DV Little Jazz."—says Kari—"Very compact and easy to travel-with amp, that delivers perfect jazz sound and enough volume for jazz clubs. There is also great sounding line out in the amp. Clear winner!”