News -page consists of current topics and interesting articles about jazz in Finland.
Drummer Toni Porthén and sax player Joonatan Rautio's fresh and vigorous jazz-funk group Nassaun Fasaani will play in Turku on 10 October. The show, part of the band's record-launching tour, is organised by Flame Jazz.
Hailu Mergia, composer, keyboardist and accordionist and one of the big names of Ethiopian jazz, visits Finland with his trio this October. Awesome Tapes From Africa releases their rediscovered 1977 classic album Tche Belew just at the right time for the tour.
Composer Jussi Lampela’s group Jussi Lampela Nonet continue their concert series at Helsinki’s Kanneltalo this autumn. In October, the three-concert series features vocalist Aili Ikonen.
The Finnish Jazz Federation, Europe Jazz Network, Music Finland and Sibelius Academy teamed up to organize the hotspot for European jazz industry. The export event took place in Helsinki on September 18 - 21.
DIG. Festival, organised by the jazz department of the Sibelius Academy, will come for the twelfth time at the end of October. The festival features influential guests from Finland and abroad, including American guitarist Mike Stern and UMO, Teemu Viinkainen and Mika Kallio of the Finnish household names.
Flame Jazz will organise an additional Nordic Vocal Night concert on 20 December due to high demand. The concert will see Turku Jazz Orchestra feature the sovereign Finnish vocal acrobat Aili Ikonen. The first concert, almost sold out by now, will take place on 19 December.
UMO Jazz Orchestra’s autumn edition of Monday Night at Koko Jazz Club kicks off next week. First started last spring, the concert series became an instant success. Monday Night at Koko is inspired by the tradition that big band gigs generally took place on Mondays in New York in the heyday swing. This autumn will see a three-concert continuation to the series with new themes. However, the overarching idea remains the same; to start the week with a good dose of classic big band stuff.
The fifth Flame Jazz Cruise is organised on Viking Grace 27 – 28 September. The best of Finnish jazz will hop on the most luxurious of the Baltic Sea cruise ships and set out on a jazzy sailing trip. In addition to concerts, the boat is loaded with jam sessions and interviews with the artists. Flame Jazz organises popular jazz voyages twice per year.
Jazz HUG collective organises a jazz night at one of the most atmospheric restaurants of Helsinki, Kappeli. The concert takes place in Kellari downstairs venue. Aili Ikonen & Tribute to Ella and NYConnection, two of the hottest groups in today‘s jazz scene, will heat up the intimate cellar cooking hot this Sunday.
The board of Rajatsi Raahe jazz association has appointed producer-entrepreneur Charles Gil as festival director of Raahe Jazz on the Beach festival as of 15 September 2014. Gil succeeds Annamaija Saarela, who has directed the festival since 2009
