Jazz Finland Live

Vesa Haaja, the vocalist for Agents, one of the biggest Finnish popular music groups, presents his new group in the concert "Stadin nuoret" (The Youth of Stadi). A special guest, vocalist Sami Saari, will join Haaja and the co. on this trip to the nostalgic midway of the last century. The programme consists of best-loved hits from the 50s and the 60s.

Tickets 15/13 €

Duration 90 mins, including intermission.

Vesa Haaja – guitar, vocals, Sami Saari – guitar, vocals Tuomas Metsberg –guitar, Lasse Sirkko – bass, Sami Nieminen – hammond, Juha Litmanen – drums

Open event

WILLIAM SUVANNE QUARTET

William Suvanne, sax

Mikael Jakobsson, piano

Tuure Koski, bass

Mikko Arlin, drums

William Suvanne (b. 1979) is a Helsinki-based jazz musician and winner of the Finnish Saxophone Society's Josef Kaartinen scholarship. He published his first solo album, entitled William Suvanne: Indian Curry in 2007. Currently, he performs with a band configuration that was initially founded for the release of his new album. Suvanne has been characterised as one of the most energetic saxophonists in Finland, and his music contains nuances ranging from delicate atmospheres to witty humour. William Suvanne is also well known as a funk/groove saxophonist (e.g. Mikko Pettinen & Happy People, Top of Top: Tribute to Tower of Power) and his prominent woodwind skills can be enjoyed at the gigs of the popular Aili Ikonen & Tribute to Ella, too.

The other members are some of the finest musicians that Finnish jazz scene has to offer: Mikael Jakobsson on the piano (Five Corners Quintet), Tuure Koski on the bass (XL) and Mikko Arlin on the drums (Aili Ikonen & Tribute to Ella, Nina Mya)

The programme of the concert consists of original compositions, from feel-good New Orleans groove to a display of modal fireworks of energy. The majority of the pieces are from Suvanne's latest album, The Tenor.

Open event

The Finnish-Swiss-Icelandic trio Equally Stupid will go on a second Finnish tour this autumn to celebrate their debut album. The group will give five live shows around Finland, ending their tour at Joensuu's Teatteriravintola. Equally Stupid released their debut, entitled Exploding Head, in February this year, and the energetic live performances the trio gave in the wake of the release were much praised by critics. September’s tour is a continuation of that of February’s .

Equally Stupid is a vigorous and spirited jazz group, whose music can be characterised as melodic and rich in rhythmical layers. This group’s unapologetic, muscular groove holds the listener in its grip live and pulses strongly on the Eclipse Music –released debut album, as well. Despite their relatively short history as a band, each member’s career as an international jazz musician spans several years. Saxophone player Pauli Lyytinen is known from groups Elifantree, DEFEKT and Kauhukakara that lean on the Scandinavian strain of jazz music. The Helsinki-resident Icelander, Sigurdur Rögnvaldsson, melds traits of jazz and rock music in his guitar playing. His distinctive style is a strong presence in such Scandinavian groups as Uinuva, DEFEKT, Fuzz N' Us. Lyytinen and Röngvaldsson have collaborated frequently before the formation of Equally Stupid, for instance by playing together live for more than 150 times with groups DEFEKT and Laser. The third member, drummer David Meier, comes from Switzerland and has been gigging actively in recent years in the Continent with different projects and his own bands Hunter-Gatherer and Schnellertollermeier.

Pauli Lyytinen, sax

Sigurdur Rögnvaldsson, baritone guitar

David Maier, drums

Tickets: 15/10 €. Pre-tickets at Levy-Eskot record shop.

Open event

The fifth Flame Jazz Cruise is organised on Viking Grace 27 – 28 September. The best of Finnish jazz will hop on the most luxurious of the Baltic Sea cruise ships and set out on a jazzy sailing trip. In addition to concerts, the boat is loaded with jam sessions and interviews with the artists. Flame Jazz organises popular jazz voyages twice per year.

Tuomo
The Finnish soul legend Tuomo dazzles as the soulful headliner of the Saturday night. Tuomo will play tracks from his new album, the praised New Mystique, along with fresh takes on older hits. With his new group, Tuomo has taken a step towards more electronic soundscapes but continues to blend these with soul in interesting and characteristically Tuomoesque ways.

www.tuomomusic.com

Felix Zenger
Felix Zenger has been dubbed as the number one beatboxer on the globe. He is capable of producing most incredible sounds, imitations and rhythms using only his mouth and a mike. Zenger has warmed up audiences for Kanye West, and he is the most-viewed Finnish solo artist on Youtube to date with more than 37million views.

www.felixzenger.com

Jukka Eskola Orquesta Bossa
Jukka Eskola brings his newish all-star group Orquesta Bossa on the Cruise. The group is composed of a jazz quintet and a string ensemble, Proton String Quartet, and plays original compositions penned by Eskola and drummer Teppo Mäkynen in collaboration. Their music pays homage to the tradition of bossa nova but not without an original touch.

www.jukkaeskola.com

HERD & Jukka Perko
Sax player Jukka Perko and young stellar group HERD first began their fruitful collaboration in autumn 2013. Perko, an influential figure in the field of Finnish jazz, has performed Simon & Garfunkel’s material with symphony orchestras, and now these classic songs will be arranged for a jazz quartet.

www.jukkaperko.com
www.herdtrio.com

Aura Flow
Aura Flow is an energetic quintet, formed by five rising Turku-based jazz stars. Their 2014 debut You’ll Hear From Me is telling, this group does not try to appear any bigger or smaller as they are, but play their earnestly swinging original compositions with a staunch no-nonsense attitude.

Flame Jazz Talent: Kadi Quartet
The Flame Jazz Talent invites young rising groups to display their skills. This time the limelight falls on Kadi Quartet, the experimental group led by vocalist Kadi Vija. Winner of the Young Nordic Jazz Comets 2013 Finnish semi-finals, Kadi Quartet moves boldly from pop to free improvisation, thus redefining the traditional concept of the jazz quartet.

www.kadiquartet.com

Wonder Girls & Henri Mäntylä
Saana Murtojärvi, Hanna-Mari Riihimäki and Sanna Vartiainen a.k.a Wonder Girls have sung renditions of their idol Stevie Wonder’s songs since 2007. On Flame Jazz Cruise they are joined by their trusted pianist Henri Mäntylä, whose soulful and groovy pianism is a strong presence in Aura Flow, as well.

Ticket grants admission to all concerts.

Flame Jazz / Jussi Fredriksson
+358440412026
info@flamejazz.com
www.flamejazz.com

Open event