Jazz Finland Live

Juhlat (Fete) is a new kind of performance concept, a composite of drama and jazz concert, exploring the themes of money, family and art.

You are invited to witness the birthday celebrations of the 60-year-old Matti Holma, Finland’s most industrous entrepreneur in heavy equipment. There will be juicy anecdotes, speeches given by friends and relatives and as the acme of the party, a big band concert by Sointi Jazz Orchestra. The party turns into a domestic row, however, when the younger generation calls their father’s capitalist values into question. Without money there would be no concert but is art to be reduced to exclusive entertainment for those with capital? To whom does high art belong in today’s world?

Performances: 16 Aug / 18 Aug / 19 Aug and 20 Aug
Showtime at 8:00PM
Duration approxiamately 2 hrs

Mustikkamaa Open Air Theatre: Mustikkamaankuja 1, 00570 Helsinki

Ticket prices: 15 € adults / 10 € (discount tickets)
Cash only.

Directed by Sirpa Riuttala
Sointi Jazz Orchestra conducted by Rasmus Soini
Script by Veera Tapper

On stage: Heikki Herva, Henna Holländer, Inkeri Hyvönen, Hennariikka Laaksola, Marius Laiho, Kiia Laine, Tiina Mäki, Vili Orava and Matti Pajulahti

Sointi Jazz Orchestra: Rasmus Soini, Petteri Hietamäki, Pekka Seppänen, Frans Thomsson, Janne Saarinen, Sampo Kasurinen, Tommi Kolunen, Tomi Nikku, Ilkka Arola, Jasmin Afaneh, Ilkka Hongisto, Mikko Haanpää, Panu Luukkonen, Matti Vuolahti, Kenneth Ojutkangas, Aleksis Liukko, Kaisa Mäensivu ja Siiri Partanen

Open event

This summer, Helsinki's top purveyors of quality jazz bring four extraordinary sessions to mbar. Each of the four Tuesday nights will feature an A­-list live act plus We Jazz DJs doing what they do best – serving you some raw jazz on vinyl. Three of the four live acts will appear on stage for the first time E V E R.

We Jazz
Tue 18.8. 19-02
LIVE: We Jazz Loft Sessions in 3D (vol.2) + We Jazz DJs (showtime: 20.00)
*free of charge*

Follow the updates on FB, Twitter and Instagram:
http://facebook.com/wejazz /
@wejazzhelsinki / #wejazzmbar15
Best. Jazz. Now.

Open event

This year’s Summer Jazz Club reaches its grande finale on 18 August when the stage is taken by Grímsey, led by Finnish-Icelandic guitarist Matti Saarinen, and the host Antti Lähdesmäki’s new quartet. The concert series will return next summer with something new up its sleeve again.

Grímsey, started in winter 2015, play their leader Matti Saarinen’s compositions that challenge traditional genre notions. Indeed, Grímsey’s sound is characteristed by chamber orchestra-influenced interaction and rhythmic flow. The members – who come from widely different musical backgrounds, including the traditions of jazz, rock, classical, electronic and avant-garde – have studied and performed, when added up, in every European country. These aspects naturally add a distinctive flavour to the group’s sound. Their debut album was recorded in July and is due to come out later this year.

Grímsey
Matti Saarinen, guitar
Jarno Lappalainen, bass
Joonas Leppänen, drums

Antti Lähdesmäki himself gets finally to leave his host’s duties for a moment and climb onto the stage with his brand new quartet. Antti Lähdesmäki 4 plays music that is European at the core but borrows from classical music, free jazz and even traditional American jazz. Another distinctive element is the group’s instrumentation: instead of the usual trumpet or saxophone as the solo instrument Antti Lähdesmäki 4 features the flute. With experience and acclaim in both jazz and classical music, flautist Juho Valjakka has won, for instance, the audience’s award in the Gluck flute contest. As to the rhythm section, both bassist Juuso Rinta and drummer Teemu Mustonen will be playing on their home ground, being pupils of Jyväskylä Coservatory – and Poppari.

Antti Lähdesmäki 4
Juho Valjakka, flute
Antti Lähdesmäki, piano
Juuso Rinta, bass
Teemu Mustonen, drums

Summer Jazz Club pre-tickets and other products are available for purchase on http://mesenaatti.me/summer-jazz-club/. By buying the products you support the future of Finnish jazz.

Tickets 8/5 €. Ticket sale at the door at 8:30PM. Showtime at 9:00PM.

Summer Jazz Club is supported by the Finnish Music Foundation.

www.facebook.com/summerjazzclub

Open event