News -page consists of current topics and interesting articles about jazz in Finland.
Drummer-composer-producer Teppo Mäkynen leads his newish octet around Finland on a We Jazz and Finnish Jazz Federation -produced tour on 16-26 November. The stellar group, whose two-part debut album came out last autumn, draws from the so-called West Coast jazz of the 1950s and 60s.
Late November will see the award-winning pianist and his international trio on a long-awaited, extensive Finnish tour. The northernmost stop will be Oulu and southernmost Tallinn.
Sointi Jazz Orchestra’s acclaimed crowd-puller Star Boys' Singing Procession will return to stages again this Christmas. Written by conductor Rasmus Soini and drummer Siiri Partanen and seeing the 17-piece big band joined by four singers, the beloved new take on the classic Christmas play will now be staged for the third consecutive Christmas. In addition to Helsinki and Espoo, the group will be taking Star Boys for the first time outside the metropolitan area, to Porvoo. In the concerts of Helsinki and Porvoo, the big band will also be playing a set of best-loved Christmas carols – but, as one might expect, with a new, surprising twist.
Jazzpresso series continues with thoughts about what is "new" in jazz, and its internationality. Master-of-none festival promoter and radio-dj Matti Nives keeps bringing new phenomena and ideas into the Finnish jazz scene year after year, and this time he speaks his mind about showcases and "new Nordic jazz", after his visit to the 17th Young Nordic Jazz Comets showcase at the Umeå Jazz Festival in Northern Sweden on the 27th of October.
Ibrahim Maalouf, the new voice of the jazz trumpet, joins UMO Jazz Orchestra at the Savoy Theatre on Sunday 27 November.
Tampere Jazz Happening brought modern jazz to the city of Tampere for the 35th time already. Spanning four days from Thursday to Sunday, this year’s festival saw many cross-over performances and unprejudiced mixing of genres.
Saxophonist Esa Pietilä received the Yrjö award on Friday 4 November at Tullikamarin Pakkahuone, Tampere Jazz Happening. Awarded annually by the Finnish Jazz Federation, the Yrjö is the most prestigious jazz prize in Finland. The Varjo-Yrjö prize, granted by the Finnish Broadcasting Company, Yleisradio, was given to photographer Maarit Kytöharju.
The Finnish Jazz Federation awarded Charles Gil for his 20-year-long work in the free jazz and improvised music field in Finland and in France. His agency Free Voices And Sounds has produced and managed tours and concerts for French and Finnish bands in Finland, France and the Baltics. The Andania award was given to Gil at the Free Voices And Sounds 20-year-anniversary concert at Malmitalo on Tuesday, November 1st.
The festival opens on Thursday 3 November with a free concert with three woman-led bands and closes on Sunday 6 November. The two days falling between offer a dizzying number of topical Finnish and international jazz acts.
Jaska Lukkarinen Trio – a trio of true troupers – turns ten in 2017. Formed by the eponymous drummer, saxophonist Jussi Kannaste and bassist Antti Lötjönen, the stellar group celebrates their decade-long career by hitting the road on a tour and releasing two EP's, first of which is due out in November 2016 and the second in March 2017.
