Born in Kuopio in 1974, Mika Kallio already knew at a very early age that he wanted to follow his uncle’s footsteps and become a professional drummer. His uncle, Roope Koistinen, gave Mika his first pair of sticks when he was 10. At the age of fifteen Mika got his first drumset.

After high school Kallio studied music at the Joensuu Conservatory with Pasi Naulapää and later on with the great Tomi Salesvuo. In 1996 Kallio was accepted in the Sibelius Academy Jazz Department to study with great teachers like Jukkis Uotila, Jarmo Savolainen, Raoul Björkenheim and Sonny Heinilä. He got his Master of Music degree in 2002.

Mika Kallio has collaborated with most major jazz musicians in Finland. Some of the players he has worked and/or recorded with are Mikko Innanen, Kari Ikonen, Pauli Lyytinen, Raoul Björkenheim, Otto Donner, Esa Onttonen, Sonny Heinilä, Kirmo Lintinen, Anssi Nykänen, Jarmo Savolainen, Jukka Perko, Teemu Viinikainen, Manuel Dunkel, Verneri Pohjola, Jukka Gustavson, Marzi Nyman, Eero Koivistoinen, Pekka Pohjola, Mia Simanainen, Seppo Kantonen, Severi Pyysalo, Teppo Hauta-aho, Sid Hille, Uffe Krokfors, Iro Haarla, Kalle Kalima, Sakari Kukko, Juhani Aaltonen and Pedro Hietanen

Kallio has also worked with Tomasz Stanko (PL), Wadada Leo Smith (USA), Trygve Seim (NO), Michael Formanek (USA), JD Walter (USA), Peter Bernstein (USA), Gary Versace (USA), John Lindberg (USA), Philippe Catherine (BE), Stefan Pasborg (DK), Ben Monder (USA), Bänz Oester (CH), Ain Agan (EE), Sebastien Boisseau (FR), Laurent Blondiau (BE), Matthieu Donarier (FR), Marc Ducret (FR), Ron McClure (USA), John Zorn (USA), Gunnar Halle (NO), Jaak Sooäär (EE), Tim Hagans (USA), Staffan Svensson (SE), Vincent Courtois (FR), Jim Pembroke (UK) and Michael Gibbs (USA).

Since 1997, Mika has played on 70 albums with various bands and his debyt as a leader/soloist ”Mika Kallio” was released in 2008. He is also a co-leader in such bands like Mikko Innanen – Mika Kallio Duo and Verneri Pohjola – Mika Kallio Duo.

Kallio also leads a Percussion Ensemble called Kallio Slaaki (with Anssi Nykänen and Mikko Hassinen) and their debut LP “Polymania for Percussion” was released in 2013.

In 2016 Kallio started a new project “IMPULSION” with Finnish dance artist Satu Rinnetmäki. CD and DVD was released later that year.

As a sideman he works in various groups, such as Teemu Viinikainen Trio, Verneri Pohjola Group, Mikko Innanen 10+, Gourmet, Jussi Fredriksson Trio, Agan/Viinikainen/Mälgand/Kallio Quartet, Kalle Kalima Attacus and Pauli Lyytinen Magnetia Orkesteri.

Kallio also works occasionally with the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra.

Mika teaches at the Savonia University of Applied Sciences in Kuopio and at the Sibelius Academy Jazz Department in Helsinki.

Mika has been a PAISTE Artist since 2012.

Mika Kallio GONG ODYSSEY

Gong Odyssey started as a project for combining different Gong types with synthesizer sounds. This was a two year project that resulted the GONG ODYSSEY recording in 2022.

The album was originally planned as a solo recording but near the end it came clear, that the album needed some fine polishing by Jussi Fredriksson and his Minimoog and Polymoog.

Slow and ballad-like ambient textures are created live with a quartet formation:

Mika Kallio – gongs and synthesizer

Jussi Fredriksson – synthesizers, gongs, tubular bells

Jaska Lukkarinen – gongs, sound plates, percussion, synthesizer

Max Zenger – bass clarinet, percussion

Soundi.fi

Suomijazz

Helsingin sanomat

YLE

Rondo

Turun sanomat

Mika Kallio – Satu Rinnetmäki IMPULSION

IMPULSION is an improvised piece for a solo percussionist and a dancer.

Mikko Innanen & Mika Kallio duo

Made of the number one star of the young Finnish reeds generation and his counterpart in drums, the duo leans heavily on improvising, which they have perfected playing together in Nuijamiehet till 2000 and the Gourmet sextet for some ten years almost.

The Duo has made two albums:

“Scratch” (Fiasko FRCD 23) 2007

The extroverted duo of Mika Kallio & Mikko Innanen is basically a saxophone and drum combo, but on Scratch both men are ready to use anything at hand to create sound. When the credits include wood blocks and bird calls, you know you´re in for a special sort of fun. Innanen, who exhibits great control over his vocabulary of squeals and squawks, can also play it straight on his horns when he wants to.

The IAJRC Journal

“Silence” (Fiasko FRCD 43) 2009

Why “silence”? Well, the CD is voluble and packed to the gills with sound – noise, if you will. That said, the sounds are so finely rendered and the interplay so perfectly soldered, the final product becomes a neverending process of inducing serenity into a world likewise packed with noise.

The New York City Jazz Record

Mika Kallio Solo

Kallio performs solo, playing his own compositions and improvising with a drumset, bells, gongs, tuned gongs, bowls, sound plates, whistles and tubular bells.

Kallio has played solo concerts in Finland, France and Czech Republic.

In 2011 he played 10 concerts on the Finnish Jazz Federation tour.

His first recording “Mika Kallio” (Fiasko FRCD 37) was released in 2008.