News -page consists of current topics and interesting articles about jazz in Finland.
Mopo, Laura Annika Quartet, Nossa Bossa and the We Jazz DJs are to play at a jazz event, first scheduled for July, but postponed to 30 August due to challenging weather conditions. Thanks to new arrangements, the event can this time be transferred indoors if necessary.
French virtuoso bassist, composer and innovator Dominique Di Piazza joins Jan-Olof Strandberg’s Strandberg Project for the group’s 20th anniversary at Sellosali on 10 September.
Ami Vuorinen is to become the director for the Finnish Jazz Federation. He will start in his new position in September.
This year’s Summer Jazz Club reaches its grande finale on 18 August when the stage is taken by Grímsey, led by Finnish-Icelandic guitarist Matti Saarinen, and the host Antti Lähdesmäki’s new quartet. The concert series will return next summer with something new up its sleeve again.
Four-day jazz festival Turku Jazz 2015 starts today. Each of the four days has a theme of its own, reaching from world music and nostalgia to contemporary jazz and big band music, respectively. The concerts take place in the courtyard of Brewery Restaurant Koulu, and on the Night of the Arts in the Börs Park.
Led by pianist Alexi Tuomarila and saxophonist Nicolas Kummert, Drifter picks up from where Tuomarila’s Quartet left. The new album, “Flow”, comes out on renowned British label, Edition Records.
The programme release party takes place at Kahvila Sävy, with trumpeter Verneri Pohjola and drummer Sami Nummela both giving a solo set. Recorded music will be played by We Jazz DJs. We Jazz 2015 tabloid magazine will be issued in the same event.
Juhlat (Fete) is a new kind of performance concept, a composite of drama and jazz concert, exploring the themes of money, family and art. When Juhlat was premiered at the Ylioppilasteatteri studio in March this year, all performances were booked within less than 24 hours. Now Juhlat will get four additional performances at Mustikkamaan kesäteatteri (Mustikkamaa Open Air Theatre).
Kamasi Washington, whose name is right now hot on the lips of the jazz world, has announced his very first visit to Finland. The American multi-talent, whose recent album “The Epic” has made it to virtually every “Album of the Year” list, will give a show at Helsinki’s The Circus on Monday 30 November.
Application now open for Bucharest International Jazz Competition. The event takes place in May 2016. Application deadline is 10 February 2016.
