09/23/2025
Well done Mikko 👏🏻. A fantastic achievement, especially for someone living with superficial siderosis.
Here is an English translation of the yesterday’s 5 star-review of our album Patient Patient:
Thank you Marita Nyrhinen @ Kulttuuritoimitus
”A Composed Medical Story That Moves You — Review of Mikko Pettinen Why Not’s Patient Patient
5 Stars!
By Marita Nyrhinen
22nd September 2025
Mikko Pettinen Why Not: Patient Patient
Eclipse Music, 2025
Composer, trumpeter and multi-instrumentalist Mikko Pettinen has a long career behind him. He commands many musical styles with confidence — from subgenres of jazz to soul, funk, hip hop and more. In addition to his own projects, he has played with UMO and in the Finnish-Benin afrobeat and funk ensemble Helsinki-Cotonou. He also sings, plays keyboards, and creates various soundscapes using effects.
The band Mikko Pettinen Why Not was founded in 2018, and its musicians — Joakim “Jusu” Berghäll (baritone saxophone, bass clarinet), Vesa Ojaniemi (bass), and Tuomas Timonen (drums) — are as multi-talented as Pettinen himself. The quartet’s previous release, Two Suites For The Change (2020; see Erik Ahonen’s review in Kulttuuritoimitus) earned well-deserved praise. Now Mikko Pettinen Why Not has released a truly touching album in Patient Patient (Eclipse Music, 2025).
Pettinen’s journey toward this new album has been exceptional. Some time ago, he was diagnosed with a rare condition that leads to hearing loss. The path from the diagnosis through treatment and to acceptance was a trial. The determined trumpeter-singer made his journey, acknowledged the facts, and used his experience as a source of inspiration. In Patient Patient this is concretised into an album that gives voice to the pouring out of feelings.
The album’s background is interesting, as it was born from real experiences. These are very personal emotions that Pettinen shares with listeners together with his fellow musicians.
Each song has its own story. The album opens with Waiting List, which, true to its name, foreshadows the patient’s wait for access to treatment. The current healthcare system torments people especially through long queues. This experience becomes concrete in this song.
The powerful Adapt models Pettinen’s tinnitus, the programming of which is handled by Vesa Ojaniemi. The vocal lyrics “Can you focus on what you can do with what you have… and adapt, adapt?” repeat over and over — through different emotional states. The piece’s origin goes back to a message Pettinen received, whose verbal rhythm gave the entire track its shape. In the over-11-minute work there are many touching passages: from intense and at times almost aggressive expression, through serene and improvisatory sections, toward its goal. The piece embodies acknowledging a difficult situation, expressing it, and acceptance.
Lumbar Punkture, which makes use of free improvisation, cries out physical pain. It was inspired by a spinal puncture. The procedure is no picnic for the patient. The title track Patient Patient also unloads the frustration brought on by the experiences. Berghäll’s aching baritone-saxophone improvisation is full of pain, with Pettinen’s trumpet solo following and somewhat softening it.
The quartet’s ensemble playing is seamless, and the album is a delightfully versatile whole. The tracks are alive and full of energy — almost to the point of madness — with the improvised parts coloring some of the more peaceful passages. The musicians’ intense collaboration gives rise to cinematic soundscapes that can be placed into concrete situations.
Pettinen is exceptionally brave in expressing intimate feelings for all people through art. He knows how to convey pain in a way many others tell beautiful and romantic stories. That is rare.”
Kulttuuritoimitus
