Jazz Finland Live

Saxophone player Mikko Innanen is one of the most highly regarded and internationally famous Finnish jazz musicians. His full-blooded playing can be heard in many ensembles, of which his own group Innkvisitio is the most central. The members of the ensemble describe their music as retro-futuristic, and it may be the most adventurous ensemble of these frontline jazz musicians. The Helsinki-based ensemble has already released two albums and toured the Nordic countries, the rest of Europe and North American festivals.

You can always expect something memorable from the Frenchman Vincent Courtois, and this trio is no exception. The combination of a cello and two tenor saxophones is a rarely-seen ensemble. Courtois says that the timbres of the instruments move in the same central range. That is where the name Mediums comes from, although it is also a reference to the esoteric circus world. Courtois’ compositions for the ensemble have been inspired by the circus world, where the cellist spent his childhood with his father, a circus stage dresser. Other sources of inspiration include Tod Browning’s film Freaks and David Lynch’s Elephant Man.

Duration 2 h 15 min, incl. interval
Tickets from €14,50, Lippupiste. At the door €15
Cloakroom fee €2

The Free Voices tour is co-produced with the Finnish Jazz Federation. 

Open event

Eeppi Ursin in acoustic ambiances with her solo material. 

The concert also features new arrangements of old, Finnish evergreens. The music combines insightful lyrics with earthly elements, Norah Jones with Juice Leskinen, melancholy with irony. 

Eeppi Ursin - vocals, piano
Saku Mattila - guitar
Antti Lötjönen - bass
Olli Krogerus - drums

Open event

Trumpet player Verneri pohjola appears as soloist with UMO Jazz Orchestra in Kanneltalo, Malmitalo and Vuotalo in March. The concert was premiered last summer at the Brosella Folk & Jazz Festival in Belgium and features music for example from Gil Evans, Mikko Hassinen and Verneri Pohjola himself. Rich Shemaria has arranged songs from Pohjola’s latest record Ancient History, which was released via the renowned ACT-label. The concert features unique big band arrangements of such songs as Deism and But This One Goes in Four.

Verneri Pohjola came to the attention of the jazz public in the beginning of 2000 as a member of the Ilmiliekki Quartet and has since remained in the front line of Finnish jazz musicians. His first solo album Aurora received the Emma Prize for Best Jazz Album of 2009 and in 2012 it was followed by Ancient History, which was released by internationally notable German label ACT. Pohjola appeared as soloist with UMO Jazz Orchestra on the album Agatha (2007), featuring music by Kerkko Koskinen. He has appeared as soloist with UMO Jazz Orchestra also in Gil Evans anniversary concert alongside Eero Koivistoinen and on UMO Jazz Orchestra’s Christmas tour with Maarit Hurmerinta.

Conductor: Kari Heinilä

Open event