This years Emma Gala was held on Saturday 8th February to award the Finland’s most distinguished artists and music professionals of the year 2019. The Jazz Emma award was won by Alexi Tuomarila Trio with their most recent album Sphere (Edition Records). Alexi Tuomarila Trio consists of pianist and composer Tuomarila, drummer Olavi Louhivuori and Norwegian bassist Mats Eilertsen. The winning album was also featured by trumpeter Verneri Pohjola.
Alexi Tuomarila is one of the most convincing international jazz artists from Finland. He records on British record label Edition Records, and his work has been internationally acclaimed. Sphere is the fourth album of Alexi Tuomarila and his trio with bassist Mats Eilertsen and drummer Olavi Louhivuori. In the album trio is joined by guest trumpeter Verneri Pohjola.
Sphere was selected as the album of the month by BBC Music Magazine in July 2019. Jazz-Emma award was earned for the brilliant work that brings together powerfully melodic, driving, rhythmical soloing and Finnish melancholy to create some of the finest musicianship to emerge from any current Nordic ensemble.
Jazz-Emma of 2019:
Alexi Tuomarila Trio – Spheres (Edition)
Music by Alexi Tuomarila
Produced by Dave Stapleton
Recording and mixing by Matti Littunen and Speedy Saarinen
Mastering by Svante Forsbäck, Chartmakers
Listen to the awarded album:
Other nominees for Jazz-Emma 2019:
Herd – X (Doorbell Music)
Iiro Rantala – My Finnish Calendar (ACT Music)
OK:KO – Syrtti (We Jazz)
Signe – To Sappho (Eclipse)
Photos by Julius Konttinen & Aleksi Tuomarila