News -page consists of current topics and interesting articles about jazz in Finland.
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.
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.
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.
Verneri Pohjola performed with pianist Andrew McCormack's trio in London. Two esteemed British newspapers The Guardian and The Financial Times review the album-launching concert.
The sixth edition of Kirjazz organised was organised last Saturday at Kirjaslampi Dance Pavilion in Valkeskoski. In addition to the warm weather, the audience was treated to steaming hot jazz music.
KYN, one of the most acclaimed Finnish women’s choirs, is heading to Riga, Latvia, to participate in The World Choir Games competition this week. With 460 choirs from 73 different countries, it is the biggest choir singing competition of the world. KYN will participate in the Champions Competition, which is aimed at choirs that have proven themselves proficient in international competitions and festivals before. KYN’s repertoire for the Games has been compiled from Finnish and non-Finnish classic choral music for women’s choir and ethnic jazz music, KYN’s speciality.
