What is Mika Pohjola?
'''Mika Pohjola''' (born December 1, 1971 in [[Helsinki]], [[Finland]]) is a [[jazz]] [[pianist]] and [[composer]]. He lives in [[New York City]]. ==Biography== <ref>Biography from www.mikapohjola.com</ref> Mika Pohjola lived in [[Vantaa]], [[Finland]], outside [[Helsinki]] until 1987. He started studying piano and music theory with his father, Heikki Pohjola in 1979. In 1982, he started singing in the [[Helsinki Cathedral]] boy choir, Cantores Minores. He then studied classical piano, music theory and counterpoint at the Vantaa Music Institute. After completing his classical studies, Pohjola moved to [[Stockholm]], [[Sweden]] to study jazz music. He met Alvaro Is Rojas while studying at the Södra Latin Gymnasium. Is Rojas taught him piano [[improvisation]] and jazz [[ear-training]] for five years. Pohjola received a Master's Degree in Jazz Education at the Royal Swedish College of Music in 1992. Encouraged by Alvaro Is Rojas, Pohjola moved to [[Boston]], [[Massachusetts]] to study at Berklee College of Music. His teachers included Herb Pomeroy, Gary Burton, Phil Wilson, Ed Bedner and Hal Crook. Pohjola also met many new music collaborators, such as Johanna Grüssner, Matt Penman, Roberto Dani, Fernando Huergo, Sophie Dunér and Yusuke Yamamoto. Pohjola graduated from Berklee with honors in 1994. That same year he recorded his first album, ''Myths and Beliefs'' (GM Recordings) produced by Gunther Schuller. In 1995, Pohjola moved to New York City and became a part of the downtown jazz scene. He briefly studied with pianist Sal Mosca. Pohjola performed at New York clubs such as the Blue Note, Birdland, the Five Spot, Smalls, The Jazz Standard and Visiones. His many bands featured saxophonists Chris Cheek, Mark Turner and Miguel Zenón, guitarist Ben Monder, bassists Matt Penman, Johannes Weidenmüller and Fernando Huergo, drummers Roberto Dani, Marlon Browden, Darren Beckett, Matt Wilson and Mark Ferber. In the 1990s, Pohjola often toured Europe, and performed in his native Finland, Sweden, Denmark, The United King