The anniversary year sees the Finnish Jazz Federation present a comprehensive history, a star-studded Anniversary Orchestra and a touring art exhibition.
In 2016, the Finnish Jazz Federation, the umbrella organisation of Finnish jazz, has furthered Finnish jazz culture for half a century. Anniversary year specialities include a historically significant publication, an Anniversary Orchestra with some of the finest Finnish jazzers and an art exhibition on the history of the Yrjö Jazz Prize, granted annually to an accomplished Finnish jazz musician by the Finnish Jazz Federation. The exhibition will be opened at the April Jazz Festival in Espoo, and the festival will also play host to the anniversary orchestra’s debut on stage.
Awarded since 1967 for significant achievements in the field of jazz, the Yrjö Prize is the most notable token of recognition to be given to jazz musicians in Finland. The prize itself is a work of art, made by a different Finnish artist each year and presented at the annual Finnish Jazz Convention. As the Jazz Convention takes place in a different city each year, the prize has usually been commissioned from an artist native to or based in the region. This year, Yrjös will be on display for the first time in a comprehensive exhibition that shows the remarkable range of the artists and works of art having been granted over the 48-year history of the prize.
“It is very interesting to see the results when one form of art has inspired another,” says the curator, art critic, MA Nina Suni. “Stylistically very different artists and works of art constitute the 50 years of the Yrjö Prize. The level of accomplishment is very varied, as well; some of the artists being devoted amateurs, while others are professionals of visual arts. We have handpicked only the artistically most significant and culturally most interesting pieces from each decade for the exhibition. And in keeping with the original philosophy of the prize, a tint of playfulness will not be lacking”, she ensures.
The exhibition will be open at April Jazz Festival, in Espoo, on 20 - 24 April. From Espoo, it will go nomad, stopping at different jazz festivals with and without the Finnish Jazz Federation Anniversary Orchestra, led by Mikko Innanen. The cavalcade of Yrjös will return to the Helsinki metropolitan area, to Helsinki’s Kirjasto 10 (Library 10), towards the close of 2016. In addition to Innanen, the Anniversary Orchestra is composed of some of the most recent Yrjö-knighted artists: guitarist Teemu Viinikainen, pianist Kari Ikonen, bassist Ulf Krokfors and drummer Teppo Mäkynen. At April Jazz on 22 April, there will be even more Yrjö energy on stage when the group is joined by Eero Koivistoinen, Seppo "Paroni" Paakkunainen, Severi Pyysalo, Antti Sarpila and Anna-Mari Kähärä – winners from all five decades of the prize. The orchestra’s repertoire consists of Finnish jazz from its very birth until today, as arranged by Mikko Innanen. Tickets to the concert will be available for purchase on 18 January.
In addition to the touring Yrjö exhibition and the Anniversary Orchestra, a comprehensive history will be published. Edited by researcher Janne Mäkelä and composed not only of historically significant text but image and audio as well, it will become available online in conjunction with the anniversary concert on 22 April. In compiling and presenting the material, the Finnish Jazz Federation currently collaborates with Music Archive JAPA and Finnish Broadcasting Company YLE’s Elävä arkisto.
“The history of the Finnish Jazz Federation and the history of Finnish jazz cannot be separated from each other,” says Ami Vuorinen, Executive Director of the Finnish Jazz Federation. “Therefore, it is no wonder that it tangibly feels like we are celebrating something much bigger than simply the organisation; the Finnish Jazz Federation ry., established in 1966. Indeed, through the Anniversary Orchestra, the Yrjö exhibition and the online publication the focus will be as much on the rich history of Finnish jazz as on the Federation.”
Founded in 1966, the Finnish Jazz Federation is the umbrella organisation of Finnish jazz and the largest body to promote the interests of Finnish jazz culture in Finland. The organisation produces tours and the annual Jazz-Espa Festival and hosts the database Jazz Finland and the Jazzkahvit Facebook group – a discussion arena for Finnish jazz professionals. The Federation also represents Finnish jazz in national cultural and political debates.