SOOLO / Riho Sibul

On 30 August at 4 pm Riho Sibul will perform at Tallinn Art Hall as part of SOOLO concert series. Sibul will be playing his improvisational solo programme with Finno-Ugric contemplativeness as a central axis.

Riho Sibul (b. 26 June 1958) is an Estonian guitarist, singer and composer. He studied music in a specialised music class at school and in 1976–1977 at the Tallinn Pedagogical University. Riho Sibul is also a versatile composer and has written music from rock’n’roll to blues and from lyrical ballads (“Moon Child”) to film music. He has named Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Wayne Krantz and Bill Frisell as his inspiration. An instrumentalist in his earlier years, he has also taken up singing as a member of Ultima Thule.

Riho Sibul started his music career in 1976 in Gunnar Graps’ Magnetic Band. This was followed by ensembles Haak and Propeller, the latter of which was forced to disband after the notorious “football scandal” at Kadriorg Stadium in 1980. Later, Sibul has played in the ensembles In Spe, Kaseke, Tõnis Mägi & Music Seif, Jaak Joala & Lainer, VSP Projekt (Vaigla-Sibul-Põder instrumental ensemble) and Ultima Thule, where he is the leading guitarist to this day.

In 1981, Riho Sibul won the main prize at the Tartu Music Days as a member of Kaseke. At the Tartu Music Days in 1982, he was chosen as the best musician by the organising committee, followed by the same recognition from the audience a year later. In 2001, Sibul received the Order of the White Star, Fifth Class. At the 2010 Estonian Music Awards, he won the Jazz/Blues Artist of the Year award.

Since 2013, Sibul has been active in the ensemble Juhan, whose work is inspired by the poetry of Juhan Liiv.

Riho Sibul has released several solo albums characterised by Nordic crispness and melancholy: “Poeet külmetab klaasmäel” (2000), “Jahe Sinine” (2003), “Must” (2004), “Lood” (2007), “Liblikas ja peegel” (2009), “Kahemehesaag” (2011), “Berliini Päevik. Taevaskoda” (2014).

The SOOLO concerts are organised in collaboration with the Tallinn Art Hall, curator Robert Jürjendal. Admission to the concert with an exhibition ticket.