Jazz Finland Live

New choral music can be heard at Espoo Cathedral, as self-dependent composer Pekka Toivonen premier's his latest work, Suite for Empathy. The mixed choir, especially gathered for the occasion is led by choir leader and Complete Vocal Technique -teacher Raija Silfverberg. Free admission, surprise performers.

Compositions, piano,  symbals: Pekka Toivonen
Choirmaster, flute: Raija Silfverberg
Trumpet: Miia Reko
Church organs, timpani: Antti Mattila
Finnish choir SeKo

Open event

It’s not often you find such a huge amount of indisputably cutting-edge jazz potential packed into a single trio, but with GURLS, that’s exactly what you get. Wait – did we just say ‘potential’? These prize-winning people have moved far beyond that stage. They’ve already started realising their massive potential and were already sounding like a finished product a long time ago.

GURLS is made up of three of Norway’s most sought-after musicians – all of them taking what they themselves confess is a musical holiday. With their playful energy, sassy self confidence and multitudes of experience in their own bands and projects, together these three consummate musicians have formed a gently funky unit that communicates spontaneously and goes deep.

The group’s debut album, Run Boy, Run, is a genre-hopping witches’ brew, stirred up by musicians whose lyrical playfulness addresses gender roles and norms, humour and confrontational female sexuality. GURLS are righteous, refreshing and bold as brass. [Relying solely on the sensuous, acoustic interplay of sax and double bass (no drums!) for instrumentation, and constantly passing the vocal baton between themselves, GURLS have landed on new and unexplored territory.]

GURLS features founder Hanna Paulsberg on saxophone and vocals; Ellen Andrea Wang on bass and vocals; and vocalist Rohey Taalah who, with her group Rohey, is on the road to success in her own right.

Hanna Paulsberg - saxophone & vocals
Ellen Andrea Wang - bass & vocals
Rohey Taalah - vocals

Ebeli Show 7 PM, GURLS 8 PM
Original Sokos Hotel Tapiola Garden, Tapionaukio 3, Espoo
Tickets at the door 17 € | Tickets in advance are available at Lippu.fi
No age limit

Dinner is available at the show by booking a table in advance from the Tapiola Garden restaurant Grill It! Booking a table at the club requires both dining and buying a ticket in advance.

Open event

In a modern Nordic jazz landscape adventuring Jean Erik's debut album This Is Jean Erik will be published by the independent record label Eclipse Music in March. With this very first album Jean Erik already makes a strong statement by his personal approach. Strong riffs, sections of collective freedom and fresh harmonies take the story through a multilayered rhythmic path. Tuovinen describes his music modern Nordic jazz with added modern soundscapes. His versatile use of bowing and effects brings out the personal sound of Jean Erik. The line-up consists of young, talented and internationally acclaimed Finnish musicians and composers. www.jeanerik.com

Janne Tuovinen – double bass & effects
Pauli Lyytinen – saxophones, synth
Artturi Rönkä – piano, synth
Anssi Tirkkonen – drums

Open event

The Air Force Big Band’s Finnish Landscapes album release tour also includes Seinäjoki. 

The Air Force Big Band’s Finnish Landscape concert is a fantastic overview of Finnish sentiment and what it means to be a Finn. The Band plays Anssi Tikanmäki’s legendary Finnish Landscape production in fresh, new arrangements in terms of tone and colour. Anssi Tikanmäki has shown strong support and a spirit of involvement, and the Air Force Big Band wishes to honour the composer’s original production in Finnish Landscape. This is what Tikanmäki has said: “On this album, the Air Force Band has given my compositions a new lease on life.” 

The music collected on the album has stood the test of time, and the colours of the tones inspired by the landscapes spanning from Lapland’s fells to Uusimaa are as bright as ever. The contributions of several different arrangers result in a fresh, interesting outcome. 

The original album was a major event when it was first released in 1981, instantly reaching a wide-spread audience no matter what their musical preferences were.  Anssi Tikanmäki’s spectacular musical palette is introduced in Seinäjoki in a big band set up. Saxophone artist Pepa Päivinen and the Air Force Big Band make up an explosive combination and their show won't leave anybody cold. 

This is a concert you don’t want to miss! 

Tickets in advance 22€ + other possible fees, from Ticketmaster / at the door 25€, if not sold out. 
Organizer: Air Force Band

Open event