Biography

Rooted at the Flame Jazz project bringing Turku, Finland onto the jazz map, the ensemble features such hard-hitters of the Finnish jazz scene as Severi Pyysalo, Verneri Pohjola and Jussi Fredriksson, plus the Swedish tenor saxophonist Karl-Martin Almqvist. The album “Port Arthur” was released in September 2016 in Finland by Fredriksson Music.

Flame Jazz Messengers, led by pianist/drummer/composer Jussi Fredriksson, release their debut album “Porth Arthur” via Fredriksson Music. The sextet is comprised of A-list Finnish jazz talent and the band features Severi Pyysalo on vibraphone, Verneri Pohjola on trumpet, Max Zenger on alto saxophone, Teemu Åkeblom on bass, Fredriksson on drums, plus the Swedish tenor sax man Karl-Martin Almqvist. The album’s music has been composed by Fredriksson and Pyysalo, and the music uses the spirit of the city of Turku and the Baltic Sea as its thematic framework.

The original music performed by the Flame Jazz Messengers is characterised by the strong role of the three reeds at the front and the strong backing of the vibes, bass and drums as the rhythm section. This ensemble formation gives freedom to the composers to paint a versatile sonic image, utilising both the strong individual skills and the seamless teamwork of the seasoned group.

“I think the album fittingly reflects the laid-back feeling of Turku on the West coast of Finland”, Fredriksson says. “There is a strong jazz boom in the city and you can hear it on ‘Port Arthur’, especially given the fact that four of the six players have roots in Turku. I personally find it an honor to be able to collaborate with Severi Pyysalo on this album. He is one of the legends in Finnish jazz and should be featured on new recordings as much as possible.”

Led by Fredriksson, the Flame Jazz project has made Turku a jazz city to be reckoned with. Flame Jazz organises regular concerts, including the very popular Flame Jazz Cruise, and it also brings together different entities through the Jazz City Turku initiative. As a hub of creative jazz activity based in, but not limited to Turku, the Flame Jazz project now extends into including an actual group taking the message forward. Through Flame Jazz Messengers, the project now extends beyond its origins and also takes Flame Jazz outside of Finland, paving the way for various kinds of collaborative projects in the future.

Tracklist

1. Port ArthurPyysalo
2. Pinky BluesFredriksson
3. GenauPyysalo
4. No Blue-Green Alga, pleaseFredriksson
5. Que seraJay Livingston, arr. Pyysalo
6. How Deep Is The OceanIrving Berlin, arr. Fredriksson