News -page consists of current topics and interesting articles about jazz in Finland.
The fifteenth edition of the annual Jazz-Espa concert series drew over 1,500 people to the Espa stage last week. The free open air concerts portrayed six topical, Finnish jazz acts from Monday to Saturday and ended with a huge success of the JazzPiknik mini festival on Sunday at the restaurant mbar's terrace on Lasipalatsi square. The Jazz-Espa audience was matched by the JazzPiknik audience and there was even something described as a "jazz riot"...
Contemporary dance meets jazz on Åbo Svenska Teater stage on Saturday 9 August in the premiere of "Pohjola - Nordic Roots" – a piece that portrays the history, nature and mentality of the North by the languages of movement and music.
Down Beat magazine, one of the biggest jazz medias, chose Finnish saxophonist Mikko Innanen as one of the Rising Stars of the baritone saxophone.
The Helsinki-based duo Good Romans will host a new club series once in August and twice in September in the capital. The club will focus on improvised music and feature a guest artist each time. The Free Club takes place at Ravintola Allotria on Friday the 15th in August and Friday the 5th and the 19th in September. Good Romans will be joined by pianist Kari Ikonen, drummer Mika Kallio and trombonist Jari Hongisto, respectively. Expect intriguing, distorted musical images and sporadic visions from the future and the dark side of the mind. The club series is co-organised by Teatteri Kapsäkki, The Finnish Music Foundation and Finnish Explosions.
The annual Jazz-Espa concert series takes place for the 15th time at the Espa outdoor stage, in the heart of Helsinki. This year's Jazz-Espa features six topical Finnish jazz acts from Monday the 28nd of July to Saturday, the 2nd of August.
Jazz-Espa festival is here again. The 15th edition of the traditional city festival kicks off tomorrow on Monday 28 at the Espa Stage and reaches its climax on Sunday 3 July at the mbar terrace and Lasipalatsi Square. Jazz-Espa is organised by the Finnish Jazz Federation.
Album "Aki Rissanen // Jussi Lehtonen Quartet With Dave Liebman" is to be released on 4 August. The recording the first of the three-album contract that Rissanen made recently with label German Ozella Music. The Quartet will give two live shows, in Helsinki on 16 August and in Turku the following day.
The acclaimed debut album from this Finnish-Icelandic-Swiss trio came out in the spring, and now they present their fresh-from-the-oven music video.
Wif Stenger is a journalist and jazz enthusiast who works for the Finnish Broadcasting Company (Yle) and writes for The Guardian, Jazz Journal and Scandinavian Review. His Top 10 list of Finnish jazz albums of 2013 and spring of 2014 includes some Jazz Finland showcase artists, some of the Jazz Federation's touring acts, some pioneer jazzers and some newer talents. All in all, Stenger listens to Finnish jazz with an "international ear", and aims his writing to new jazz audiences. If you are interested in topical jazz, this is a good point to start.
The 49th edition of Pori Jazz Festival closed last Sunday. The return of the legendary Lokkilava stage and a number of world-renowned stars from saxophonist Pharoah Sanders to singer-songwriter Bob Dylan were widely covered in media. Neither were Finnish jazzers forgot. Jazz Finland has collected a selection of Pori Jazz -themed articles and reviews from different media below. The festival will return next year celebrating its 50th anniversary.
