Jazz Finland Live

Since 1996, Free Voices, Free Sounds, managed by producer Charles Gil, has been forging a bridge between Finnish and French jazz cultures successfully. The agency will celebrate its 20th anniversary accordingly, by co-producing a 14-concert Finnish tour for French Théo Ceccaldi Trio and Finnish Pepa Päivinen & Good Romans with the Finnish Jazz Federation. The groups play altogether five concerts together and a number of concerts individually. The only concert that the two trios will give in the Helsinki metropolitan area will take place at the Sello Hall on Thursday 11 February.

Théo Ceccaldi Trio, formed by the eponymous violinist, guitarist Guillaume Akninen and cellist Valentin Ceccaldi, hail from Orléans, France. Founded in 2010, they perform intensive and aerial chamber jazz, combining strings and guitar to original effect. The group has released two albums Carrousel (2012) and Can You Smile? (2015), both on label Ayler Records and to great international acclaim. Active live performers, Ceccaldi’s team was selected for the acclaimed French concert programme for young talents, Jazz Migration. The leader himself is a member in the French Orchestre National de Jazz, led by Olivier Benoît.

Saxophonist Pepa Päivinen, guitarist llari Filander and drummer Jussi Miettola have existed as trio Pepa Päivinen & Good Romans since 2012. Like that of their French confreres, their sound could be described as extremely original. In addition to the traditional tenor sax, Päivinen plays the bass clarinet and different flutes, while Filander and Miettola expand their sonic worlds with the help of electronic effects. The trio say that they will offer the listener “a psychophysical leap into a no-man’s land where the mind is free to wander”. So far they have released one album together the 2014 Ghost of a Dog, which was met with praise from the music media. Pepa Päivinen – a former member of the legendary free jazz outfit Sound & Fury and a long-standing member of the UMO Jazz Orchestra – is known as an adventurous explorer in the field of jazz and improvised music. Good Romans, formed by Ilari Filander and Jussi Miettola, have released one album as a duo, the 2014 Open This Door, Never Look Back.

at 19 Théo Ceccaldi trio
at 20 Pepa Päivinen & The Good Romans

Duration 2 h, incl. interval
Tickets starting from 15 €, Lippupiste
Cloakroom fee 2 €

Open event

This edition of Afrojazz Club at Storyville features Faso Kan and DJ Ibou.

Faso KanDrawing from the rich music tradition of West Africa, Faso Kan plays melodic and intensive tunes that will leave no audience cold. Led by the Burkina Faso -based awarded, masterful balafon artist Issa Dembele, they are now to spread the joy of music, dance and singing in Helsinki.

Other members include the super gifted griot, kora artist Adama Koné from Mali; pecussionist Otto Raippalinna who has studied griot music and instrument-craftsmanship in Senegal, Burkina Faso and Mali. Top artist, griot Issiaka Dembele is a well-known multitalent in the sphere of traditional music of his native country.

Issa Dembele, balafon, vocals, djembe, dundun, dance
Adama Koné, kora, vocals, djembe, dundun, dance
Ossi Raippalinna, dundun, djembe, talking drum, vocals, dance
Issiaka Dembele, balafon, vocals, calebas, djembe, dance

DJ Ibou, a.k.a Ilari Lovio, of Bassoradio's OUAGADOUGOU! will be spinning records in the intervals.

Open event

Jukka Perko Avara approaches music with their mind open. You hardly ever get structurally conventional pieces but then Avara do not really fall into the category of free jazz either. It is the composition with its melodic, harmonic and dynamic qualities that this trio explores in a very unique way.

Jukka Perko, sax
Jarmo Saari, guitar
Teemu Viinikainen, guitar

Doors at 20:45

Tickets 18 / 15 €

Open event