News -page consists of current topics and interesting articles about jazz in Finland.
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.
Entitled Veden värejä, the second album will come out on 28 October, with the album launch show taking place on the same day at Helsinki’s Teatteriravintola Kapsäkki at 7:00pm.
Women choir KYN release an album of new music by composer Mikko Hassinen. The album launch show takes place on 26 October at Helsinki's Savoy Theatre with KYN being joined by top jazzers Hassinen, Manuel Dunkel and Ville Herrala.
Music Finland has released a brand new playlist New Jazz from Finland at www.jazzfromfinland.com. Listen to the best of 'suomijazz' or add your own music to the playlist.
Afrojazz Club delivers danceable afrobeat and world music at restaurant Storyville, Helsinki, once a month throughout the autumn. Before the shows, there will be a guest speaker giving a talk about topics that touch about values important to Afrojazz Club, such as multiculturalism, humanitarianism, environment, social and spiritual questions. The season will be opened on Thursday 20 October.
Limited company, Livelaboratorio Oy that runs the new venue G Livelab in Helsinki, has confirmed to have made a preliminary agreement to buy the radio channel Radio Helsinki from Kaupunkitarinat Oy. Livelaboratorio Oy is owned by the Finnish Musicians' Union.
Nina Mya hits the stage at Savoy Theatre with her star-studded crew with a new album under her belt on 29 October. Her third album, Closure, will be released in Germany one day before the concert.
