Olli Ahvenlahti (b. 1949, Helsinki) is a Finnish pianist, composer and conductor of Russian descent who has shaped the country's jazz scene since the 1970s. His 1975-76 Love Records albums Bandstand and The Poet are cornerstones of Finnish jazz-funk, and tracks such as 'Grandma's Rocking Chair' have been sampled and championed internationally by figures like Gilles Peterson and Kenny Dope. Beyond jazz, Ahvenlahti spent the 1990s conducting Finland's Eurovision Song Contest orchestra and worked extensively for YLE. His 2024 album Mirror Mirror, released on We Jazz Records with the New Quintet, marks a return to the electric jazz-funk sound of his classic 1970s work.
Olli Ahvenlahti New Quintet has concerts scheduled at G Livelab Tampere (Sept 2) and G Livelab Helsinki (Sept 3) in 2026.
The New Quintet performed at Tampere Jazz Happening on 1 November 2025.
The New Quintet played SaloJazz Live at Ravintola Musine in Salo on 30 October 2025.
Ahvenlahti and the New Quintet completed a national Suomen Jazzliitto tour in October 2024, covering Joensuu, Kuopio, Lahti, Savonlinna, Raahe and Tornio.
Mirror Mirror, Ahvenlahti's first electric jazz-funk album since The Poet era, was released on We Jazz Records on 19 April 2024 and received five-star reviews.
concert18:00Olli Ahvenlahti presents his New Quintet at G Livelab, exploring electric jazz funk with trumpeter Jukka Eskola and saxophonist Joonatan Rautio among the ensemble.
concert18:00Olli Ahvenlahti presents his new quintet at G Livelab with electric jazz funk. The band features trumpeter Jukka Eskola, saxophonist Joonatan Rautio, bassist Ville Herrala, and drummer Jaska Lukkarinen.