Espoo Big Band (EBB) has been invited to perform at Jazz Festival Leibnitz this Friday.
Espo Big Band, led by Marzi Nyman, will play they own, Finnish material from the album Espoo Suite, released last spring, and the previous album Lauma. The 18-piece jazz orchestra consists of front row Finnish musicians such as pianist Lenni-Kalle Taipale, guitarist Jarmo Saari and saxophonist Mikko Innanen and Manuel Dunkel.
Espoo Big Band has aimed to international stages for several years. After their pefromance in Helsinki at Arctic Paradise showcase in the autumn 2016, the German record label Galileo Music took an interest in the orchestra. In 2016 Galileo Music released Espoo Big Band and Husband ensemble’s album Lauma and last spring the Espoo Ensuite, consisting of compositions by Marzi Nyman. In 2018 the band performed at the one of the biggest jazz festivals in Europe, North Sea Jazz in Rotterdam, with three-time Emmy nominee, American blues singer Ruthie Foster.
The executive director of the EBB, Matti Lappalainen, tells that the orchestra is constantly having discussions about trips abroad. However, in December, Espoo Big Band can be seen performing as a part of the Anna laulu lahjaksi concert at the Espoo Cultural Centre, and at the April Jazz 2020 they present the first performance of a new commission work. In 2020, the orchestra also celebrates its 40th anniversary and they are therefore planning anniversary concerts in Finland.
Espoo Big Band hosts annual April Jazz Festival and over the years they have welcomed numerous international star soloists such as Ray Charles, Freddie Hubbard and Patti Austin. In addition to tours in Asia, Australia and Brazil, EBB has performed on several famous jazz festival; Detroit, Montreux and Paris among others.