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Songs

In the early eighties, in the aftermath of punk and influenced by the blues as well, I started to play bass and formed my first band. For some reason, I ended up as the songwriter of the band. To ease thing up I bought a four track cassette recorder. I’ve been recording my own songs since.

I’ve written a few songs with English lyrics, but most of them are in Finnish. Here are a couple of examples, sung and played by yours truly.

Kuuntele, ole hiljaa

”Listen, be quiet. I listen to you when there’s no sound.”

Originally written in early 2000’s, this song got a complete rework in 2010. (The human noise collage during the solo section was, however, even in the original version.)

Vanhat ja viisaat

This song (”The Old and the Wise”) was originally written for my fourth novel Karsta. The lyrics appear, line by line, between the chapters of the book. Later on I actually got around to compose the thing.

Kaipuulaulu

This one’s an oddball: It was originally written in English (as ”To Be Missed”). At the moment I don't have a recording with English lyrics I would like to play for you. Just try to imagine the thing: It’s about somebody who has left, who don’t miss anybody but misses to be missed by them.

 

Music for Theatre

I’ve been involved in a few independent theatrical productions as a composer/musician. This next one is a sort of short-ish compilation from a three-hour play called Woyzeck-tehdas (The Woyzeck Factory) in 1997. Yes, it was based on the classic Georg Büchner story, set in the modern world and performed with an ensemble of eight improvising actors – and an dj/musician playing music, noises and ambient sounds: me.

The performances got very good reviews and were mostly sold out. Other productions followed.

 

Ambient and experimental music

Sanaleikki (Wordplay, 1998)

A short piece of conceptual music based in Finnish words for ”I” (minä) and ”you” (sinä).

Kellot (1994)

Lyhyttavara (2001)

Two improvisatory pieces for a stringed instrument (a dobro and a fretless bass guitar, respectively) and digital delay lines.

 

Music for Alshain   

This is a soundtrack album for my second novel Alshain. The seven tracks reflect the moods of the story.

1. Maastamuuttaja I (Immigrant I)

 

2. Maastamuuttaja II (Immigrant II)

 

3. Häkkilintu (Songbird in a Cage)

 

4. Tuhkaa (Ashes)

 

5. Totuus (The Truth)

 

6. Meren ääni (The Ocean Voice)

 

7. Ad astra

All tracks written and arranged, programmed and played, recorded and produced by J. Pekka Mäkelä. Copyright © 1994–2011 J. Pekka Mäkelä. All rights reserved.

A recordist and a mixer

Having a pretty well equipped home studio, I've been involved in a few musical projects by others.

I've mixed eight songs for the Australian group McivercorK’s debut album Emotional Songs.

I have participated in a couple of remix contests by English magazine Future Music and won one. (”Everpresent” by Justin Robertson.)

I’ve been a bassist, a percussionist, an engineer and a producer in Oskari Jakonen’s project A Glance beyond Nature.

... and an amateur luthier

Having some time for a bit more physical work, the house having a little workshop, it was natural to try my hand in luthiery. Having played guitars and basses for a long time, I’ve gathered a few ideas for construction.

The first instrument I built was a five string bass guitar. An year later, I made me a five string fretless bass. At the moment, the latest finished project is a baritone guitar. All are constructed, at least in part, from recycled wood from old pieces of furniture. And while none of them are perfect in visual detail (I have still lot to learn in finishing), all are perfectly good and good sounding instruments.