Held in the shadow of war and the pandemic, the fourth Savoy JAZZFest on March 2-3, 2020 ended with a concert by Christian McBride at the Savoy Theater on Sunday. The festival was the last on for artistic director and trumpet player Jukka Eskola. Bassist Kaisa Mäensivu has been chosen as the new artistic director. Next year, Savoy JAZZFest will be held from March 2 to 5, 2023, and its Blind Bird tickets are now on sale.
Kaisa Mäensivu, the new artistic director of Savoy JAZZFest, is an award-winning double bass player and composer. She has established herself in the world of jazz in Finland and in her second home in New York, appearing in numerous ensembles in addition to her own bands Kaisa's Machine and Kaisa Mäensivu Trio. A graduate of the Sibelius Academy and the Manhattan School of Music, the musician won first place in the international Riga Jazz Stage bass competition in 2018. Mäensivu has released two records as a band leader, and she has been awarded e.g. the Esko Linnavalli Composition Award and with the The Young Artist title of Pori Jazz.
“I look forward to the chance to curate Savoy JAZZFest’s stunning and high-quality program. It is great to have the opportunity to bring the world's top jazz artists to the Finnish audience,” says Mäensivu.
The contract for Mäensivu is 2 + 1 years (optional year), covering the festival years 2023 and 2024 (+ optional 2025). The artistic director’s job is to plan the festival’s repertoire and artist visits, and perform at the festival at least one concert or club night each year. Mäensivu's contract begins immediately.
Jukka Eskola's term of office was originally also 2 + 1 years, but due to the pandemic, the 2021 festival had to be postponed, which is why it was extended by one year for Eskola. After four years, he leaves the event with wistful thoughts:
“It has been a great honor and privilege to be involved in the building of a new and significant festival. Few have the opportunity to attract the brightest artists in the jazz world as performers. This has been an experience that I will always remember fondly,” Eskola said.
The audience numbers for Savoy JAZZFest fell short of ca. 60 percent of the previous peak event of 2020. The target for 2022 had been set lower due to the pandemic situation, and this target was met. About 1,700 people attended the festival this time.
Savoy JAZZFest will be held next from 2 to 5 March 2023. The main concerts of the event will be held at the Savoy Theater. The four-day festival tickets are on sale at Lippupiste as so-called Blind Bird tickets: the festival pass can be obtained at a considerably low price now that next year's program has not yet been released. The Blind Bird price (€ 115) is valid until the first announcements are made.
Purchase the Savoy JAZZFest 2023 Blind Bird tickets via Lippupiste and at Savoy Theater.
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Kaisa Mäensivu and Jukka Eskola. Photo: Minna Hatinen.