Jazz Finland Live
Over his 50-year long career, drummer Reiska Laine has played as a sideman in so many famous bands and orchestras, but never has he led his own ensemble. Now this mistake is finally corrected, and Laine has invited his dream team to his quintet. In Maestro’s own words, Reiska Laine Quintet features the “Ideal Rhythm Duo” of keyboardist Seppo Kantonen and double bassist Ulf Krokfors, and the “Sax Legends” Eero Koivistoinen and Juhani Aaltonen. The “who-is-who” in Finnish jazz is here!
Eero Koivistoinen – tenor saxophone, Juhani Aaltonen – tenor saxophone and flute, Seppo Kantonen – piano, Ulf Krokfors – double bass, Reiska Laine – drums
Gigs on the same day in helsinki
Niklas Winter is one of those great musicians and visionaries, who spends more time touring abroad than in Finland. The Turku-based guitarist-composer has stated that 8 of 10 of his concerts nowadays take place in Scandinavian countries, Italy, Estonia, Russia and Japan. His own Finnish-Swedish quartet was founded already in 2003. Year 2020 sees the comeback album of this modern mainstream jazz combo, after the 2006 Live In Stockholm debut. The new repertoire consists mainly of Winter’s music, where traditional jazz elements leave plenty of room for free improvisation.
Niklas Winter – guitar, Fredrik Nordström (SWE) – tenor saxophone, Filip Augustson (SWE) – bass, Markku Ounaskari – drums
Elifantree is enigmatic, unnerving and wonderfully unpredictable and can move from dreamscapes to fever sweats within the same bar. The trio makes music using the framework of jazz, but usually trek well outside of it. With strong rhythmical textures, outstanding saxophonism, ambient soundscapes and dazzling vocals they create a sound much larger and wider than the sum of their parts and have during the last years opened up new doors in the territory of progressive and improvised music. They have released four critically acclaimed albums, and on their latest, Blood Moon in 2019 (Eclipse Music), they collaborate with the fellow Finnish contemporary electro-acoustic ensemble Tölöläb.
Anni Elif – vocals, synthesizers, Pauli Lyytinen – saxophone, ewi, effects, Olavi Louhivuori – drums, Joonas Saikkonen – sound
