Mikko Innanen among the Rising Stars in Down Beat
Down Beat magazine, one of the biggest jazz medias, chose Finnish saxophonist Mikko Innanen as one of the Rising Stars of the baritone saxophone.
News
News -page consists of current topics and interesting articles about jazz in Finland.
Good Romans to host a club series in August and September
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.
Sunny Jazz-Espa invites to enjoy live jazz in open air
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.
The 15th Jazz-Espa festival to kick off tomorrow!
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.
Pianist Aki Rissanen and drummer Jussi Lehtonen to release an album with American saxophonist Dave Liebman
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.
Jazz trio Equally Stupid to perform thrice in Helsinki this summer
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.
Journalist Wif Stenger's Top 10 Finnish jazz albums 2013 - 2014
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.
Pori Jazz 2014 in articles and reviews
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.
KYN wins gold medal in World Choir Games
KYN has won a gold medal in World Choir Games choir contest in Riga on 12 July. The Finnish women’s choir participated in the Champions Competition for women’s choirs. Five gold medals were awarded in the tight competition. Aarhus Pigekor’s performance earned the highest score, making the Danish choir the Champions of the World Choir Games.
We Jazz 2014 announces newly booked artists
The programme of We Jazz 2014 grows. Among the newly booked artists are Phronesis, Nils Wogram Root 70 With Strings, Lassy & Kontrafouris and Markus Pesonen Hendectet. The festival will see two new commissioned musical works, Mopo24 and Antti Lötjönen 3X, and debut shows by groups Lotjoenen/Maekynen+Richardson, Kannaste/Raghavan/Waits+ and Jukka Eskola Soul Trio. Also the number of venues increases as Ääniwalli, Teurastamo Kellohalli, Paavalinkirkko, Jemma HKI and Kahvila Sävy will host festival concerts this year. More artists and the timetable are to be announced at the turn of the month. Ticket sale will commence at the same time.