Jazz Finland Live

Pepe Willberg, Finland's cherished vocalist, joins forces with a stellar ensemble curated by trumpeter Jukka Eskola for a nostalgic concert at G Livelab. This performance celebrates Willberg's 60-year career and features a selection of songs from his early albums. The project, initiated by Jukka Eskola, pays homage to Henrik Otto Donner's groundbreaking work in Finnish music.

The concert's repertoire draws from two Love Records albums: "The Otto Donner Treatment – En soisi sen päättyvän" (1970) and "Pepe & Paradise – Niin vähän on aikaa" (1972). These albums, known for their musical ambition and social impact, have become timeless classics in Finnish music. The songs on these albums are based on the lyrics of contemporary poets.

Pepe Willberg, together with the assembled Statement band, performs these songs true to their original sound and arrangements, preserving their essence.

The lineup includes:

Pepe Willberg – vocals
Jukka Eskola – trumpet, backing vocals
Pope Puolitaival – saxophones, flutes, backing vocals
Aleksi Ahoniemi – saxophones, flutes, backing vocals, guitar
Mikael Myrskog – piano and keyboards
Eero Seppä – bass
Jaska Lukkarinen – drums

This concert is open to all ages.

Open event

Sarah Vaughan (USA 1924–1990) is considered one of the greatest singers in jazz history. The power and the richness of her voice, the extraordinary wide range and the inventiveness and virtuosity of her improvisations made her the Queen of Bebop. The legend released more than 50 albums, and was awarded both an Emmy and a Grammy.

UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra and vocalist Elena Mindru honour Sarah Vaughan’s 100th anniversary with concerts at Vuotalo and Kanneltalo. The concerts will feature the music made famous by Vaughan, who recorded a number of beloved songs such as Misty, Tenderly and Broken Hearted Melody. Conductor Ed Partyka.

NOTE! There will be pre-concert Deeper into the Show discussion events before the concerts at 5:15 pm in the cafés of the venues. The discussion events are free of charge for ticket holders. During the talk, the conductor Ed Partyka and the soloist Elena Mindru will provide background for the concert (in English). The aim of the events is to offer the listeners a more in-depth concert experience.

Elena Mindru (b. 1988) is one of the best Finnish jazz singers. Known for her charismatic performances and improvisations, Mindru regularly performs as a soloist with large orchestras in both her home countries, Finland and Romania, among other countries. She has published five jazz albums under her own name, the latest Hybrid in 2022. Mindru has also gained recognition as a composer and has written several works for big band, symphony orchestra and smaller ensembles. www.elenamindru.com

Open event

Open event