Jazz Finland Live

Three orchestras together again!

Helsinki’s independent orchestras Avanti!, UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra and the Finnish Baroque Orchestra (FiBO) will once again join their forces in the spirit of AUF cooperation. In September, the concert “Music for everyone” breaks boundaries but combines different eras and styles at Musiikkitalo. The orchestras play together and separately works that combine old and new, light and serious. The conductor of the concert is Taavi Oramo.

The crown of the concert is Sampo Kasurinen’s new premiere work, which is tailored to the unique composition of the AUF orchestras. The composer promises a work that is influenced by jazz music, baroque tradition and contemporary music: “My goal is to find a compositional whole that would merge orchestras together rather than construct stylistic contrasts”.

Baroque and jazz also collide in Henry Purcell’s The Fairy Queen series. Alongside the original versions performed by the Finnish Baroque Orchestra, you will hear how Baroque dances turn into jazz with UMO Helsinki. The jazz arrangements are made by Austrian composer Ursula Reicher.

The Avanti’s quartet plays Helena Winkelman’s Papa Haydn’s Parrot. The musicians from the ranks of the all three orchestras also perform Arvo Pärt’s enchanting composition Fratres and Michael Torken’s Adjustable Wrench, in which instrument combinations and energy are adjusted as if by turning a wrench.

Avanti! Chamber Orchestra
UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra
Finnish Baroque Orchestra

Taavi Oramo, conductor

Program:
Arvo Pärt (1935–): Fratres
Michael Torke (1961–): Adjustable Wrench
Henry Purcell (1659–1695): The Fairy Queen Suite & The Fairy Queen Suite, sov. Ursula Reicher
Helena Winkelman (1974–): Papa Haydn’s Parrot
Sampo Kasurinen (1990–): New work (premiere)

Open event

The heavy-hitters in Finnish jazz, Reiska Laine Quintet, tour the country on 10 concerts during September 11–25. The Jazz Finland tour takes the ensemble to Turku, Salo, Kotka, Joensuu, Kuopio, Savonlinna, Espoo, Kokkola and Raahe. The last show of the tour stars the Porvoo Jazz Festival on Saturday, the 25th of September.

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 pianist-keyboardist Seppo Kantonen and double bassist Ulf Krokfors, and the “Sax Legends” Eero Koivistoinen and Juhani Aaltonen. All the musicians have been awarded with the prestigious Yrjö prize, so this combo really is the “who-is-who” in Finnish jazz. On the Jazz Finland tour pianist Kantonen will be substituted with the internationally acclaimed star of a younger generation, Alexi Tuomarila.

The quintet mesmerized the audiences and got raving reviews for their 2019 and 2020 concerts at Pori Jazz, Jazz-Espa and Tampere Jazz Happening. Their unbeatable experience and visionary expression show in their own original pieces and take the few Coltrane covers from the 1960s to another level.

Reiska Laine Quintet
Reiska Laine, drums / Eero Koivistoinen, tenor saxophone / Juhani Aaltonen, tenor saxophone, flute / Alexi Tuomarila, piano / Ulf Krokfors, double bass

Open event

Tickets 17,50 €

The autumn season opens on Tuesday 14.9. at 7.30pm when Uxila Exile, who will release their debut album in October, arrives as a guest of the Eclipse Jazz Club. The orchestra, lead by vibraphonist Ilkka Uksila, will perform the material of the upcoming album in advance. The line-up includes trumpet player Tomi Nikku, who was recently awarded the Pori Jazz Rising Star recognition.

Ilkka Uksila - vibraphone
Tomi Nikku - trumpet
Joonas Tuuri - double bass
Ville Luukkonen - drums

Open event