News -page consists of current topics and interesting articles about jazz in Finland.
Jazz Finland LIVE is a new support form for promoting professional jazz concert organizers around the country. The goal is to provide support for sustainable jazz concert series. The Finnish Music Foundation MES granted 139 000 euros for the pilot project in 2016.
Eero Koivistoinen, one of the pioneers of Finnish jazz and popular music, turns 70 on 13 January 2016. The anniversary year brings some great news to fans of Koivistoinen, as Svart Records, the publisher of Koivistoinen’s latest release Hati Hati, will embark on an ambitious venture: to release all Koivistoinen's albums on vinyl in chronological order. First in the pipeline will be, naturally, the 1967 debut, Valtakunta.
In this concert brought to us in collaboration by Flame Jazz and Turku Jazz Orchestra, the latter will show us how Ellington sounds in Finnish. "Ellington in Finnish" sees two great composers' repertory interpreted by two bands. The first half sees Panu Savolainen Toivo and Yona perform Finnish Toivo Kärki's evergreens, followed by Turku Jazz Orchestra and Juki Välipakka in the second half with their new, Finnish interpretations of the Duke's hits.
The renowned New York City Jazz Record magazine and its managing editor Laurence Donohue-Greene have selected Liberty Ship's second album, "Wide Open Suite & Noises At Sea", among the best albums of 2015 with an Honourable Mention.
Turku Jazz Orchestra, Webaitio and Aamuset will collaborate on streaming online the dress rehearsal of TJO’s upcoming concert. A sneak peek at TJO’s Ellington & Kärki -themed concert will be available on the website of Aamuset on Tuesday 15 December at 8:00PM.
Oulu Music Festival hosts popular masterclasses for music students in March 2016. Masterclasses will be organised in violin, cello, chamber music, pop/jazz music and for vocal ensembles. The deadline for application is 15 January 2016
One of Finland’s foremost jazz artists, Timo Lassy, continues to garner international acclaim for his newest release, Love Bullet. Timo Lassy Band will appear on stage with guests this Sunday at Helsinki’s Tavastia as the closing act for the We Jazz 2015 festival.
The third annual We Jazz festival opens on Monday 7 December at Aleksanterin Teatteri. Jazz will be heard over the week all over the city, in such venues as WHS Teatteri Union, Dubrovnik, Culture Tram, Tavastia and pianist Joonas Haavisto’s studio flat in Töölö.
Iyer cleaned the table in the jazz bible Down Beat's yearly poll: he was named as the artist of the year and his trio the band of the year. At We Jazz, Iyer will take the stage of Aleksanterin teatteri on 7 December, the opening day of the festival.
Espoo-based April Jazz and Turku-based Flame Jazz bring the distinguished American jazz pianist Brad Mehldau to Finland in February 2016. A five-time Grammy-nominee, Mehldau released his latest album – a compilation of solo pieces recorded live in Europe over a ten-year period – only in last October. He will be seen on stage at Turku’s Sigyn hall on Friday 12 February and at Espoo’s Sello Hall on the following day.
