Jazz Finland Live

Since the 1960’s Paula Koivuniemi has been known as the queen of Finnish popular music. Jazz and swing music have always had a place in her heart. Her current band is also full of first class Finnish jazz musicians. In this sense, it’s no wonder that her band has been able to encourage Paula to perform her own favorite evergreens and swing standards to the April Jazz audience.

Paula Koivuniemi: vocals
Jukka Eskola: trumpet, fluegelhorn
Arttu Takalo: vibraphone
Varre Vartiainen,:guitar
Timo Hirvonen: bass
Jussi Lehtonen: drums

Open event

American pianist Robert Glasper has been creating buzz among both R&B and jazz listeners. R&B, neo-soul, hip hop, soul and jazz elements brilliantly combining Robert Glasper Experiment won a Grammy for best R&B album in 2012 and in 2013 the group was awarded with a Grammy for best R&B performance.

Robert Glasper, piano
Burnis Travis II, bass
Mark Colenburg, drums
Casey Benjamin, saxophone

Open event

The opening evening of April Jazz Festival culminates with a concert by the Joey DeFrancesco Trio. Joey is the absolute master among Hammond organ players and a two-time Grammy nominee. He’s been voted many times as the best organ player in the world by the critics and readers of Down Beat magazine. He is also a member of the Hammond Hall of Fame.

Joey DeFrancesco, Hammond organ
Dan Wilson, guitar
Jason Brown, drums

Open event

Open event

Adele Sauros Club sees the host and her young crew joined by trumpeter Mikko Karjalainen. The programme consists of the guest's original music. 

Mikko "Gunu" Karjalainen, trumpet
Adele Sauros, tenor sax & flute
Samuli Rautiainen, piano
Mikael Saastamoinen, double bass
Okko Saastamoinen, drums

Tickets 15/10 €
Duration 1hr

www.mikkogunukarjalainen.com 

Open event

A veteran of the Finnish music scene, Jukka Gustavson (b. 1951) is primarily known as a keyboard player, singer, songwriter and lyricist for Wigwam, a legendary progressive rock band that has left an indelible mark on Finnish rock history since the 1970s.

After his tenure in Wigwam Gustavson continued playing progressive rock and fusion jazz, charting a natural progression towards cool jazz and funk over the decades. In recent years, he has played with projects like Hoedown and SF-Blues, made guest appearances on countless records and recorded some solo albums, bringing his total solo discography up to 11.

The concerts in April feature compositions by Gustavson and Esa Onttonen, which Onttonen has arranged for big band and Hammond organ – specifically for the shows with UMO. The program is now heard for the second time ever. The last time these songs were played was the UMO Jazz House’s Proge club night in 2005. This is a rare treat for all organ jazz aficionados. The orchestra is led by Mikko Hassinen.

MON 18TH APRIL AT 7 PM, KOKO JAZZ CLUB, HELSINKI *

TUE 19TH APRIL AT 2 PM, VUOTALO, HELSINKI**

WED 20TH APRIL AT 2 PM, KANNELTALO, HELSINKI**

Tickets to Koko Jazz Club* from Tiketti 20 € / 16 €, to Vuotalo** and Kanneltalo from Ticketmaster 14,50 € / 7,50 €. Prices include service fee. Ticket sales to Koko Jazz Club starts in January.

Open event

Electric and electrifying super trio Skinny Jenny invades Juttutupa!

Alexi Tuomarila – keys
Timo Kämäräinen – guitar
Tuomas Timonen – drums

Free entry

Open event

Oddarrang, who counts among the most innovative group of Finnish alternative music, play a show at Helsinki's Kuudes Linja.

Led by drummer Olavi Louhivuori, Oddarrang have adorned the Finnish music scene for over a decade. So far they have released three acclaimed albums of which the latest, the 2013 In Cinema, earned them international acclaim. The autumn will see the release of their fourth effort and in this concert we will be in for tasters off the upcoming disc. 

Sagolik in a duo by Stina Koistinen, voc and Juho Kanervo, cello.

Doors at 20:00
Sagolik 21:15
Oddarrang 22:30

Open event

Open event

Jonne Taavitsainen, drums
Joel Parvamo, guitar
Joonas Tuuri, bass

Tickets 10 € at the door

Open event

Tickets 15/10€. Pre-sale on Tiketti.fi 13/8€, incl. service fee. 

Eirik Dørsdal (NO) - trumpet
Anni Elif Egecioglu (SE) - cello and vocal
Fabian M. Mueller (CH) - piano
Kaspar von Grünigen (CH) - double bass
Jon Fält (SE) - drums

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