News -page consists of current topics and interesting articles about jazz in Finland.
The 23rd Kerava Jazz Festival starts this Thursday, 22 May 2014. Like in previous years, the concerts will be organised around Kerava in milieus ranging from Kerava Sali concert hall to the church. Jam night is traditionally hosted by Pub Robins. The programme comprises international stars, Finnish and Scandinavian top-class jazz artists, without forgetting a splash of local colour.
Pianist Kari Ikonen’s innovative trio with bassist Ara Yaralyan and drummer Markku Ounaskari will cross the Atlantic to play five concerts in the United States. In addition to the trio tour, Ikonen will be seen on stage as a duo with drummer Ra-Kalam Bob Moses.
The Finnish Jazz Federation presented four talented, up-and-coming jazz groups in the Finnish YNJC contest at Koko Jazz Club on Saturday the 17th of May. The bands competed over a spot at the Nordic YNJC showcase at the Jazz Finland festival in September. The winner, Elena & The Rom Ensemble blended stylishly ingredients of Romanian folk music into jazz tradition.
The first of the three albums is due to be released in Finland in August 2014 and in the German-speaking Europe in January 2015. The American saxophonist Dave Liebman will appear on the album.
The Finnish Jazz Federation has chosen four talented, up-and-coming jazz groups to perform in the Finnish YNJC contest. The bands compete over a spot at the Nordic YNJC showcase at the Jazz Finland festival.
Tampere-based Eclipse Music released recently two first-class albums. Kadi Quartet's debut, "Stories", and Ville Vokkolainen & Kadotettujen Paratiisi's self-titled album are both characterised by open-mindedness, strong role of free expression and testing of genre boundaries.
Tomorrow, on 10 May 2014, Jazzrytmit magazine celebrates its 20th anniversary. Unarguably one of the flagships of the Finnish jazz media, Jazzrytmit was published in print in 1994-2008. Since that the publication has appeared in online format as Jazzrytmit Web Magazine.
This week, there is no want of first-rate jazz in Oulu, as Jarmo Saari Republic performs at 45 Special on Thursday 8 May at 7PM. The concert is part of the group’s ongoing Finnish Jazz Federation tour. On the following day, Friday 9 May, the Luleå-based Norrbotten Big Band, conducted by Lars Möller takes the stage at Valve hall.
The Black Motor Club, organised by the trio Black Motor, will run three more months in Tampere. The second concert will be heard today and the remaining two in June and July.
The debut album of Jarmo Saari Republic came out in the end of April and the record saw daylight at April Jazz festival. Now the new super combo goes on tour to spread the word of light to all of Finland. On the Finnish Jazz Federation tour the band will visit eight cities from North to South and East to West.
