...what struck me first was his sound on the instrument...that gives his melodies an authority that draws you in as a listener... that authority also comes from alexi's a strong innate rhythmic sense...." brad mehldau

The Quartet was born in 1999 in the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, where all the members were studying at that time. Immediately it became clear that these four individual musicians wanted to put the emphasis on creating a personal sound of the quartet by composing own material and arranging standards as well as some Finnish folk tunes in their own way.
On September 26, 1999, the Alexi TUOMARILA Quartet won 1st Prize at the International Jazz Contest Hoeilaart, Belgium and Alexi TUOMARILA also received the Prize for the Best Soloist.
In 2001, the band won the Avignon European Jazz Contest and the pianist collected other prizes as a soloist.
The band has been performing on regular basis in the Belgian jazzclubs and jazzfestivals, as well on some major events throughout Europe and beyond.
Prizes :
- 1st Prize at the 21st International Jazz Contest Hoeilaart, Belgium, 1999
- Prize for Best Soloist at the 21st International Jazz Contest Hoeilaart, Belgium, 1999
- 1st Prize at the 3rd International Jazz Soloist Competition Monaco, 2001
- Finalist at the 4th International Solo Piano Competition Montreux, Switserland, 2001
- 1st Prize at the 10th European Jazz Competition Avignon, France, 2001
- Nomination for the New Jazz Talent at Django d'Or 2001 - "Voices of Pohjola" voted Jazz Record of the Year 2001 in Helsingin Sanomat (Finland)