Jazz Finland Live

Superb quintet Lightboxer plays at Juttutupa!

Markus Holkko – sax
Aki Haarala – guitar
Emil Luukkonen – keys
Ville Herrala – bass
Mikko Pöyhönen – drums

Free entry!

Open event

Open event

Elena & The Rom Ensemble is a Helsinki-based jazz group led by the singer Elena Mîndru, a Montreux Jazz Voice Competition awardee (2nd Prize and the Public Prize in 2012) by a jury presided by Quincy Jones.

In May 2014 the group has won the Finnish finals of the Young Nordic Jazz Comets competition. Therefore, they have represented Finland in the Nordic showcase in September 2014 in Helsinki, within the Jazz Finland festival.

In July 2014 they have released their first album together, Evening in Romania, through EM Records, Elena’s own label. The album has been very well received in Finland, as well as in Romania and other European countries, considered to have a very fresh and innovative sound.

The foundation of the repertoire performed by the group is mainly based on the singer’s and pianist’s compositions that invite the listener to an exotic musical journey. Their jazz music is spiced up in an inventive way with elements of traditional music from Romania. Elena Mîndru is accompanied by an acoustic jazz quartet that includes violin – a special and distinct flavour of their sound.

The group has been playing together for almost two years and performed in some of the most important jazz venues in Finland and Romania. Also, they have released their latest album in Tallinn, Estonia.

For 2015, the group is planning a small tour in the USA and Canada, in collaboration with the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York. For this tour, they are preparing their second album – Elena & The Rom Ensemble goes electric.

Line-up:

Elena Mindru – voice
Sampo Hiukkanen – violin
Tuomas J. Turunen – piano
Eero Seppä – bass
Anssi Tirkkonen – drums

Open event