Jazz Finland Live

Juhani Aaltonen is unarguably one of the cornerstones of Finnish jazz with his lush and soulful tenor sax sound. “Junnu” will reach the honourable age of 80 this year; however, his instrument sings more movingly than ever before. On the Finnish tour, Aaltonen will be leading his quartet, composed of his bandmates from over the years. Drummer Reiska Laine is Aaltonen’s enduring partner in music and another grand old man of Finnish jazz. The bass is in the able hands of Ulf Krokfors, who is as much at home performing solo as with a big band, while Iro Haarla, who has earned her spurs in, for example, Edward Vesala’s Sound & Fury, occupies the pianist’s seat. The couple Krokfors/Haarla are also known for their excellent compositions.

Juhani Aaltonen Quartet has released one album, “Conclusions”, in 2010 on the label TUM Records. The title, indeed, is reflective of the maestro’s long career. However, room is left for the present too, represented by free improvisation, which the group embraces both live and on the recording. By the means of improvisation, meditation upon past is rendered relevant in the now.

Juhani Aaltonen – tenor saxophone and flute
Iro Haarla - piano
Ulf Krokfors – double bass
Reiska Laine – drums

Production: Jazzkerho -76 

Open event

Pianist Karri Luhtala performs at Keuda-talo Aimo Aula with saxophonist Mauro Verrone. The concert is a part of touring concert series Il Mondo di Karri, the World of Karri, which sees Luhtala play with guests from Italy.

Karri Luhtala - piano
Mauro Verrone - sax
Stefano Cantarano - double bass
Massimiliano De Lucia - drums

Free entry!

Open event

Open event

Nina Mya is a highly talented Finnish jazz singer, who already attracted the attention with unusually mature sense of style, sound and natural skills for improvising at the age of 18. Within a few years, she has elevated as a singer and as a performer already fully to an international level”

-Jari Perkiömäki, Saxophonist/Educator/Doctor of Jazz Music

“Nina Mya has grasped an understanding of the expressive tradition of jazz music in a way that one seldom hears in the Nordic countries. Her command of her voice and sonic flexibility is impeccable and she’s easily able to adapt to a multitude of situations and styles. She is also a fine composer and a band leader. Nina is a diligent worker, her energetic output is getting stronger by the day and I think any musical situation can benefit from her presence.”

-Jukkis Uotila, Drummer/Pianist/Educator/Professor and leader of Sibelius Academy Dept. of Jazz

Nina Mya (voc)
Mikko "Gunu" Karjalainen (tpt)
Pope Puolitaival (sax)
Henri Mäntylä (pno)

Open event

Mopo is a collective of three talented musicians from Finland. The energetic trio saw the daylight in the fall of 2009, when the musicians brainstormed as a result of a bar-fight.

Mopo (”a moped”) accelerates easily from zero to speed of light, but mostly the trio steps on the gas for a hilarious joyride in the countryside. The trio draws their inspiration from jazz, 70s punk and the Finnish nature. Each composition is born in the magic of the moment and Mopo’s intense performances have stolen the hearts of their audiences all over the Finnish jazz club scene. In May 2011, Mopo won the Finnish tryouts of the Young Nordic Jazz Comets –competition and earned a huge amount of interest and
attention in the finals held in Stockholm.

Recently Mopo has performed in London Jazz Festival, BBC Jazz On Radio 3 live session and prestigious 12 Points! festival, just to name a few. Mopo released their debut album, Jee! in 2012 and second album Beibe in 2014, both on Finnish Texicalli Records label. The latter is going to international distribution by Edition Records in the UK.

Linda Fredriksson (sax)
Eero Tikkanen (bass)
Eeti Nieminen (drs)

Open event

This autumn will see the 100th anniversary of the master composer Toivo Kärki's birth. In his honour, vibraphonist Panu Savolainen has written new arrangements of a number of Kärki's best-loved pieces. Expect a show brimming with nostalgia.

The group Panu Savolainen Toivo is formed by Panu Savolainen, the Pori Jazz Artist of the year 2010, known especially as the leading man for HERD; the internationally recognised guitarist Teemu Viinikainen and one of Finland's most sought-after jazz bassists, Jori Huhtala. This time, they are joined by the dazzling vocalist Yona who is at home in most genres of popular music.

Panu Savolainen, vibraphone
Teemu Viinikainen, guitar
Jori Huhtala, double bass
Yona, vocals

Show at 10:00PM, doors 9:30PM.

Tickets 15/12 €

Open event