Alexi Tuomarila is a Finnish jazz pianist and composer. Born on February 27, 1974, in Pori, he began studying classical piano at age six at the Espoo Music Academy and later focused on jazz. After studying at the Oulunkylä pop/jazz Conservatory in Helsinki, he continued his studies at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, earning his Master of Music degree in 1999. He formed a quartet that won the 21st Hoeilaart International Jazz Competition in Belgium in 1999, where he also received the prize for best soloist. The quartet released the albums Voices of Pohjola (2001), 02 (2003), and Runo X (2007). The group later changed its name to Drifter and released the album Flow (2015). In 2005, he formed a trio with Mats Eilertsen and Olavi Louhivuori, releasing the albums Constellation (2006), Seven Hills (2013), Kingdom (2017), and Sphere (2019). The album Sphere earned the trio the Emma award for jazz album of the year. He also released the solo album Departing the Wasteland (2024) and collaborated with Polish trumpeter Tomasz Stańko from 2007 to 2017, performing on the album Dark Eyes (2010).
