Taina Lehto

by Petri Silas :: 1998

vocals

The fabulous Taina Lehto made her first mark on the Finnish jazz scene in 1984 by winning the Finnish Jazz Federation group competition with a duo she had formed with his brother Timo. Heikki Sarmanto, one of the competition judges, got so endeared to Lehto's voice and performance style that he went on to compose an entire album's full of material for the songstress.

After the competition Taina enrolled at the Pop & Jazz Conservatory and began to go for a singing teacher's degree. She has studied vocal techniques privately with Jane Manning in London.

1988 saw the release of Lehto's debut album 'Scene From A Trance'. It was followed in 1991 by 'Same Old Dreams', which consists mainly of jazzy sambas, bossa novas and ballads and enlists the talents of producer Chrisse Schwindt, arrangers László Süle and Jarno Kukkonen and an all-star musician cast. Lehto has also performed with Jarmo Sermilä and Heikki Sarmanto.