Raoul Björkenheim (born 1956, Los Angeles) is a Finnish-American guitarist and composer based in Helsinki, whose career spans over four decades of avant-garde jazz and free improvisation. He rose to prominence through Edward Vesala's Sound & Fury and his own long-running band Krakatau, recording for ECM and Cuneiform, and has since collaborated with Bill Laswell, William Parker, Hamid Drake and many others across 50+ albums. POLYFREE is his current trio - with New York drummer Sam Ospovat and bassist Jori Huhtala - where groove, free improvisation and layered sonic texture meet without compromise. In 2023 he was named Suomen Jazzlegenda (Finnish Jazz Legend) no. 42.
POLYFREE is confirmed to perform at Turku Sea Jazz on Seili Island on July 30, 2026.
Björkenheim appeared on the album 'Space Jazz' by R Cut, released November 8, 2024.
Björkenheim was named Suomen Jazzlegenda no. 42 by Musiikkiarkisto in July 2023.
