Jazz Finland Live

The Finnish Jazz Federation warmly welcomes you to the 17th Jazz-Espa Festival. The two-week concert series sees twenty Finnish jazz acts entertain music-lovers this summer on the Espa Stage in the Esplanadi Park. All Jazz-Espa concerts are accessible, free of charge and open to all ages. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Finnish Jazz Federation, Jazz-Espa dresses up to a Jazz Federation's colours and turns up the volume by presenting as many as three large orchestras this year. The crown jewel of these big-band-sized ensembles is of course UMO Jazz Orchestra.

Jazz-Espa 2016 will be opened by jazzsinger Aili Ikonen. Perhaps the First Lady of Finnish jazz, Aili Ikonen emerges as a spokeswoman for new Finnish vocal jazz on her latest album, Laulan. Apart from one cover with new Finnish translation, the album comprises new compositions penned by Ikonen and bassist-composer Mikko Pellinen. It is these new songs that we will be hearing in the opening concert of the Jazz-Espa 2016.

Aili Ikonen – voc, Mikko Pellinen – b, Janne Toivonen – tr, William Suvanne – sax, fl – Tuomas J. Turunen – p, Mikko Arlin – dr

http://www.ailiikonen.fi/

Jazz-Espa, July 25 – Aug 6, 2016

Espa Stage, Esplanadi Park

Concerts start at 4:00PM and 5:30PM every weekday (on Mondays at 4:00PM only). Saturday concerts are held at 3:00PM. 

Jazz-Espa 2016 programme: