JULIEN TASSIN & HEIKKI RUOKANGAS
Out of a mutual love of spontaneousness and raw emotions, Belgian guitarist Julien Tassin and Finnish guitarist Heikki Ruokangas decided to start creating music together. As two guitars aiming to sound like one.
The two guitarists met while they were both signed to the Australian avant-garde label Ramble Records. As they talked on Instagram, they wanted to play music together, so they travelled, Julien to Finland and Heikki to Belgium, bringing different cultures and influences together, but also realizing they have a lot in common. Both studied classical music and traditional jazz before entering the improvisational music world and both share a musical vision.
In their music, the concrete and the abstract can co-exist at each moment. Melodic lines are combined with atonal sounds for an organic and exploratory approach to the acoustic guitar. Just like life itself, the music of this duo is full of both beauty and beast. And, just like the players, it has a playful sense of humor to it.
Their travels led to the composition of a new repertoire, which was recorded somewhere along the way between Belgium and Finland and was released as an album on 29 August of 2025 by Challenge Records, followed by tours in Finland, Belgium, The Netherlands, France and Germany, where the music evolved further. This evolution will be heard on the upcoming digital live album. More coming soon!
“The album is full of sensibility and emotion, sometimes energetic or serene, often humorous and always imaginative.”
– Le Soir
“Behind the Mask immerses us in a sound so compact and intimate that it seems to have been produced by a mythical guitarist with four arms.”
– JazzMania
“The duo emerges as born storytellers, avoiding every form of performative macho behavior.”
– Jazzenzo
Julien Tassin (BE – guitar)
Heikki Ruokangas (FI – guitar)
INSIDE JAZZ MANAGEMENT
BOOKING
Belgium
Manchesterstraat 49A/f, 9000 Ghent
Jens Tytgat
jens@insidejazz.be
CHALLENGE RECORDS
LABEL
The Netherlands
Sander Vos
sander@newartsint.com
