Jazz Finland Live

Sjökvarteret or the Maritime Quarter of Mariehamn on Åland Islands fills with sweaty afrobeat and funk rhythms tonight as the Finnish-Beninese Helsinki-Cotonou Ensemble performs at Ålands sjödagar event. NIPÅ (Nordic institut on Åland) organises the concert in co-operation with the Sjödagar festival.

Helsinki-Cotonou Ensemble is an eight-piece lead by Finnish guitarist Janne Halonen and Beninese singer-percussionist Noël Saïzonou. The inter-cultural musical project was initiated in 2012 when Halonen, drummer Juha Räisänen and bassist Sampo Riskilä travelled to sojourn at the Finnish-African Cultural Centre in Benin. The second album is currently in the making and is due to be released by the end of the year.

Helsinki-Cotonou Ensemble:

Janne Halonen, guitar, vocals

Noël Saïzonou - percussion, saxophone, vocals

Juha Räsänen - drums

Sampo Riskilä - bass

Visa Oscar - keys

Mikko Pettinen - trumpet

Joakim Berghäll - saxophone

Menard Mponda - percussion, vocals