He changed his name to Jimi Tenor from the slightly uncool Lassi Lehto. Tenor after his favourite instrument the tenor sax. Jimi because of his resemblance to the 70s pop star Jimmy Osmond as a kid.
During 1989-92 made four albums with his Shamans, a highly uncommercial industrial group. The noise they made banging on empty oil drums among other things, sadly but not surprisingly brought him far too little success. Time to leave Finland, he thought and via Portugal, ended up... Read moreHe changed his name to Jimi Tenor from the slightly uncool Lassi Lehto. Tenor after his favourite instrument the tenor sax. Jimi because of his resemblance to the 70s pop star Jimmy Osmond as a kid.
During 1989-92 made four albums with his Shamans, a highly uncommercial industrial group. The noise they made banging on empty oil drums among other things, sadly but not surprisingly brought him far too little success. Time to leave Finland, he thought and via Portugal, ended up in Berlin. There he recorded his last album with his Shamans and decided to give it all up for a while.
After Berlin came New York, where he took up photography. Days he worked as an official souvenir photographer on top of the Empire State Building, trying out more artistic stuff at night. His free time he spent with his friend Jusu Lounela making some really weird movies.
In New York his musical style also started to develop into a different direction. The relaxed, ironic jazzy stuff he recorded in his kitchen was eventually released as his first solo album Sähkömies (1994) on Tommi Grönlund's Sähkö label. Take Me Baby, one of the songs on the album became quite a hit.
During an European club tour following his second solo album Europa (1995), Steve Beckett of Warp Records caught him stroking a piece of meat on stage and was impressed to such a degree that a deal was inevitable. Intervision (1997), his debut on his new label, soon met with huge critical acclaim.
The follow-up, Organism, was released in February 1999, and later on Warp re -released his two first solo albums. In autumn 1999 Jimi headed off to Poland to record with a symphony orchestra, the result of which was released in July 2000 as Out Of Nowhere, his last release on Warp.
He says his greatest talent is faking, making people believe he has a talent even if he doesn't. Well, whatever he says, he makes great music, cleverly combining elements from jazz, funk, soul and techno into an enjoyable experience.
Jimi and Nicole. Photo: Chris Gurney
Jimi who once after trying out contact lenses almost lost his ability to see the world in his own unique way, also moonlights as a fashion designer and models his creations as Tenorwear.
Late 1999, in a quiet moment of a hectic schedule, Jimi married Nicole Willis in NYC. After spending year 2000 in London he has now moved back to Barcelona, where the weather is better.
After his departure from Warp in autumn 2000, he returned to his original label Sähkö to release the EP Cosmic Relief (2001) followed by the long play Utopian Dream (2001).
For his genre-spanning masterpiece Higher Planes (2003) he found a new label, Kitty-Yo. The much anticipated follow-up Beyond the Stars (2004) is a joyful showcase of pure musical happiness.
In 2004 Jimi leaves sunny Barcelona and returns to his hometown Lahti, Finland.Show less
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