News -page consists of current topics and interesting articles about jazz in Finland.
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.
The stellar trumpeter, shining today brighter than ever, features HERD on 8 November at Lahden Pikkuteatteri.
Pianist Joona Toivanen and drummer combo Kallio Slaaki go on a Jazz Federation tour together this week. The tour extends to eight concert venues across the country.
Finnish Jazz Federation, the umbrella organisation of Finnish jazz, has awarded drummer Markku Ounaskari with the Yrjö award on Friday 31 October at Tullikamarin Pakkahuone, Tampere Jazz Happening. The Yrjö is the most prestigious jazz prize in Finland. The Varjo-Yrjö, granted by the Finnish Broadcasting Company, Yleisradio, was given to the Turku-based jazz society Flame Jazz. In addition to the two prizes, the Andania prize, to honour a life's work in the field of jazz, was given to Juha Söder. Söder has been an active and long-standing member and the President of the Finnish Jazz Federation.
Saxman Esa Pietilä's celebrated improvisational quartet Liberty Ship visits also Helsinki on their Jazz Federation tour. The power quartet Pietilä-Rissanen-Lötjönen-Louhivuori set up for a hive-minded performance at Lavaklubi on Thursday 30 October, after their intensive tour in Japan.
Horns hoot again in Kouvola as brass music festival Kymi Brass comes for the 14th time. Kymi Brass, one of the two biggest brass music festivals takes place from Friday 31 October to Saturday 2 November bringing some of the frontline horn blowers to Kouvola. This time the honorary guest is the world-renowned Australian multi-instrumentalist James Morrison.
Gregory Porter is without a doubt one of the hottest jazz vocalists around right now. In March 2015 he will join UMO on Helsinki Hall of Culture stage as the orchestra celebrates its 40th year.
The Finnish Musicians’ Union (Suomen Muusikkojen Liitto ry) has awarded jazz musician Jussi Fredriksson and orchestral musician Timo Pulakka with the annual recognition prize for their exceptional contribution to the field of Finnish music. Both are known as musicians who do more than is expected, for which each will receive the full prize amount of 5000 euros.
The popular concept gathers a host of hot and topical Finnish artists aboard Viking Grace on a jazzy cruise on the Baltic Sea.
