Finnish pianist, harpist, and composer Iro Haarla is a classically trained musician with a bent toward atmospheric modern creative and chamber-style jazz. Born in 1956 in Finland, Haarla studied piano and composition at Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy and was headed toward a career as concert pianist before meeting drummer/bandleader Edward Vesala in 1978. Haarla put her solo career on hold and embarked on a romantic and creative partnership with Vesala, whom she eventually married.