Jazz Finland Live

Helsinki-Cotonou Ensemble headlines the Saturday night of Kontufolk Festival.

An interesting folk music -centered programme will ring out in the warm summer night in Joutseno as Kontufolk Festival returns. The spirit of folk will be present through music, environmental art, performance art, theatre and storytelling.

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