MikaSonik - jazz fusion group

MikaSonik (founded 1999 – disbanded 2003, New York City, USA) was a short-lived jazz fusion ensemble based in New York City, founded in 1999 by pianist and composer Mika Pohjola. The group initially performed at local venues including Detour, Birdland and Cornelia Street Café. Its original lineup featured bassist Tim Luntzel, drummer Marlon Browden and saxophonist Chris Cheek.

In early 2000, the band evolved into a quintet with the addition of guitarist Ben Monder. This lineup made its first recording with bassist Matt Penman and drummer Roberto Dani. Penman and Dani were longtime collaborators of Pohjola, performing with him in a trio that released Live in New York, recorded at the Blue Note, The Secret of the Castle, Riverside, Live Around Europe and Live at Royal Cotton Club. Chris Cheek also appeared with the trio on selected recordings and tours.

Before the group's Scandinavian tour in early 2001, acoustic bassist Matt Penman was replaced by electric bassist Fernando Huergo for both musical and practical touring reasons. While Penman had performed Pohjola's intricate bass lines favorably on acoustic bass, Huergo's electric bass brought a stronger fusion sound to the ensemble. Around the same time, alto saxophonist Miguel Zenón replaced Chris Cheek.

The resulting lineup—Pohjola, Zenón, Monder, Huergo and Dani—toured Scandinavia in early 2001. During the tour, the group recorded the live album Still Alive at Fasching Jazz Club in Stockholm, Sweden, followed by the studio album Landmark, recorded at YLE (the Finnish Broadcasting Company). Landmark was completed in New York City with vocal overdubs by Johanna Grüssner.

Following the tour, MikaSonik continued performing in New York City and also appeared at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston, with Mark Ferber replacing Roberto Dani on drums. The ensemble gave its final performance at its original venue, Detour in New York City's East Village, in early 2003.

The group disbanded as Pohjola increasingly focused on multitrack recording projects, including Moomin Voices, as well as part-time teaching as a visiting lecturer at conservatories in Sweden and Finland, leaving limited time to compose new music for the quintet.