Jazz Finland Live

William Suvanne Chess'n Jazz

Saxophonist-composer William Suvanne’s fourth album Chess’n Jazz is released this fall, and the album release concerts feature also a special element: an actual chess tournament! The audience may participate in gameplay alongside the concerts, and the winners will be rewarded with album-themes prizes. The tour is supported by Jazz Finland and the Finnish Chess Federation. 

William Suvanne – saxophones
Mikael Jakobsson – piano
Varre Vartiainen – guitar
Tuure Koski – bass
Mikko Arlin – drums

Tickets 18/15€

Doors at 16.30
Tournament at 17.00-19.00
Showtime at 19.00

Open event

Casimir Ekman is a Helsinki based saxophonist and composer. At the moment he is studying jazz music in the Sibelius Academy of the University of the arts. Casimir plays in various projects and he is fascinated about free and jazz improvisation. Despite his young age he has toured in Finland and abroad in multiple ensembles. Casimir's personal and unique sound has intrigued his listeners for years and he has collected a vast amount of jazz fans to follow his career.

Raoul Melvin Björkenheim is a finnish jazzmusician, composer and a guitarist. He was born in California, but moved to Finland with her mother Taina Elg. In the year 1984 he won Finland Jazz Federation's Yrjö award. Björkenheims own group Krakatau recorded for the first time in 1988. In addition he has also made music with e.g. Sound&Fury of Edward Vesala, Roommusklahn, Sielun Veljet, UMO, Avanti! and Tampereen kaupunginorkesteri.

The improvised concert in Kulosaari church includes Casimir Ekman's and Raoul Björkenheim's spontaneous musical thoughts, in interaction with the audience also. In the concert, there will be tunes that will never be heard again. Welcome!

Open event

8pm BOBBY OROZA

After years of grinding as a sideman in the Finnish music scene, Bobby Oroza has stepped up to make his voice heard. Always with an air of crude romanticism, Bobby pushes towards an expression transcending the borders of soul and rock balladry. His dark and intimate debut single "This Love" didn't take long to reach the ears and hearts of a worldwide soul music community and is already a proper classic amongst the lowrider and soul collector scenes. Bobby was born in Helsinki, Finland into a family of musicians and artists. During frequent family parties Bobby´s Bolivian grandfather would pick up a guitar and sing Latin canciones and Cuban classics. Bobby´s mother is a singer and his father a gypsy-style jazz guitarist. All his siblings work in show business and music. As a kid, Bobby was lucky to grow up surrounded by his parents' record collection which included early jazz and blues, Motown hits, gospel ensembles, and doo-wop groups like The Drifters and The Clovers. The Soul records were balanced out by Brazilian ones, African ones, his mother's collection of North and South American folk songs, and Nuyorican Salsa albums. All of these influences show up in Bobby's music. Bobby started working professionally as a musician in his early teens. His main instruments are guitar and percussion. Before finishing high school Bobby decided he needed to experience the rhythmic source that had inspired him the most, and travelled to Santiago, Cuba. There he studied percussion and singing intensively for months. Since his return he's been producing, recording and performing music to make a living for his family. Teaming up with the Timmion Records house band Cold Diamond & Mink, led by Jukka Sarapää, Sami Kantelinen, and guitarist/composer Seppo Salmi he has a tight quartet of musicians to support his vision. With their debut album coming in 2018, the world is about bear witness to a strange and unique shade of Soul, one only possible through this group of people. One we are sure you will love.

9pm BB Mellows

Bb Mellows is a solo project and the music draws from soul, hip hop and house.

Open event

L'Alliance Takalo
Arttu Takalo - vibraphone
Niko Kumpuvaara - accordion
Ville Herrala - bass
Ville Pynssi - drums

Vibraphonist Arttu Takalo is best known abroad for his fantasy jazz ensemble XL. The five-piece toured extensively in the 90's and it's members have made remarkable careers in their respective fields of music. Takalo has worked with a number of Finnish jazz, rock and pop artists, composed and arranged music for classical orchestras and films. In 2000 he was appointed as the Pori Jazz Festival Artist of the Year, and in 2002 he released his first solo album. His latest band L'Alliance Takalo's self-titled album came out in September 2017 on Rockadillo Records and that makes it Takalo's ninth solo release. L'Alliance Takalo plays the soundtrack of the little stories at the decadent, yet sophisticated Parisian bistros of the past.

Tour dates:
19.9. Salo Jazz Festival Kick-Off, Hometown, at 8pm, tickets 12/5€
20.9. Koko Jazz Club, Helsinki, at 7pm, tickets 18/15€, Tiketti.fi
21.9. April Jazz Club, Espoo, Tapiola Garden, at 8pm (support act at 7pm), tickets 10€
22.9. Flame Jazz Cruise, Turku, Viking Grace, at 10pm, cruise tickets from Viking Line
25.9. Kulmajazz, Oulainen, Kinokulma, at 7pm, tickets 15€
26.9. Vanha Paloasema Bar, Oulu, at 8pm, tickets 15/10€, Ticketmaster.fi
27.9. Hygge Bro, Kuopio, at 7.30pm
28.9. Koko Jazz Club Iisalmi
29.9. Raahen teatteri, Raahe, at 7pm, tickets 15/10€
30.9. Hotelli Alma, Seinäjoki, at 4pm, tickets 10/7€

Open event

Open event