News -page consists of current topics and interesting articles about jazz in Finland.
The fast-rising group is reaching towards the stars, and judging by the applause with which their latest album Life to Everything was received they are likely to get there. The group gives their first live show in Finland at Ääniwalli, turned into a jazz club, at We Jazz 2014 event.
The cinematic quintet, led by drummer Olavi Louhivuori, tours Finland in December 2014 and February 2015.
UMO and Club For Five celebrate their anniversary – the former their 40th and the latter their 15th – by revisiting their popular collaborative tango concert next spring. Erilainen tangokonsertti (A Different Tango Concert) is spectacle of entertainment where Unto Mononen’s and Toivo Kärki’s evergreen tango numbers are reinterpreted by Finland’s number one big band and the classy vocal group. The two groups will do the tango in Helsinki, Turku, Hyvinkää, Hämeenlinna and Tampere in March and April 2015.
Sax player Timo Lassy and the gospel choir Higher Ground join forces in a unique concert at Paavalinkirkko 1 December. The concert belongs to the autumn programme of We Jazz, giving a preview of the upcoming We Jazz 2014 jazz week, kicked off just one week after the concert.
Drummer Tatu Rönkkö’s solo piece I Play Your Kitchen will invade the kitchens of five Helsinki-residents.
The acclaimed trio will hit the road this winter on a tour co-produced by We Jazz and the Finnish Jazz Federation. The group will play five shows in Finland and one in Estonia.
The November edition of Jussi Lampela Nonet’s concert series at Kanneltalo is entitled “A Hint of Blues”. Guitarist Teemu Viinikainen features as the eponymous composer-arranger’s guest.
Koko Jazz Orchestra, formed by some of the foremost Finnish jazz musicians, celebrate the launch of their debut album with two gigs in Helsinki and Turku toward the end of the month. On the album, the eight-piece performs some new compositions by drummer Jussi Lehtonen and pianist Jussi Fredriksson. Capable of sounding like a miniature big band and smaller ensemble depending on a situation, Koko Jazz Orchestra is a refreshing line-up in the field of Finnish music.
The Unelmien karavaani (Caravan of Dreams) tour brings two new groups with their shared, freer approach to jazz music to Southern Finland 19-23 November. Simo Laihonen, Sami Pekkola and Patric Thorman have formed a new trio and they will now present the fruits of their labour live for the first time. The Caravan consists also of a group of jazz nomads from Turku, whose loaded psychedelia will not fail to make you dance.
Matti Nives, the artistic director of We Jazz has tried his wings in the sphere of fashion by designing a collection of knitwear. Jazz and fashion will come together at Ääniwalli on 13 November in a launch show where Timo Lassy Fashion Quartet provides the most stylish tunes of this fall/winter. Maria Veitola hosts.
