News -page consists of current topics and interesting articles about jazz in Finland.
The City of Tampere annually gives out the Cultural Achievement of the Year award. The 2020 award was given to G Livelab Tampere, which is a live music venue founded in 2019 in Koskipuisto.
Due to the corona pandemic, the Finnish tour of The Duke Ellington Orchestra planned for April 2021 will be postponed by one year to May 2022.
Think Big ! is a European network of large ensembles of jazz and improvised music created by the french federation Grands Formats. With more than 90 professional bands and collectives, Grands Formats represents the artistic diversity of jazz and improvised music.
The new album The Siren by Estonian jazz singer Susanna Aleksandra was completed with pianist Joonas Haavisto as the producer of the album. The collection of original compositions, folk songs and standards compiled by Susanna Aleksandra and Haavisto exudes elegance and charm with strong respect for the tradition of jazz music.
Vibraphonist Panu Savolainen will play new music from his album Soiva at the Kangasala House in a concert on February 25, 2021. In his compositions, Savolainen relies on the beauty of simplicity while seeking all possible tonal colors from the trio formed by vibraphone, accordion and double bass.
Sointi Jazz Orchestra's first concert of the year will be broadcast from the Kapsäkki Music Theater live on Friday 12 February at 19:00. Before the concert, the orchestra’s new podcast will also premiere, delving into big band music and the stories of various composer and musician guests.
In January-February UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra will stream four concert online. There will be two free and two paid online concerts. The concerts are divided between different platforms: UMO Helsinki mobile application, Helsinkikanava.fi and HKO Screen service.
I was talking on the telephone a few days ago with Bettina Uhlmann, the manager of the Zürich Jazz Orchestra in Switzerland. We’ve known each other for a long time, so after we discussed our official business the conversation moved on to “So, how is it really going?”
Her answer was “Well, at least we are not managing or conducting Choirs.”
This sums up the situation for jazz orchestras and big bands at the moment.
Turku's jazz year starts with a series of online concerts in exceptional circumstances. The first Flame Jazz night of the year will be celebrated on Facebook Live on Friday 22 January by award-winning pianist-composer Iro Haarla.
The 2020 Emma Award nominees were announced today. Jussi Lehtonen Quartet, Mortality, Riitta Paakki Quartet, Superposition and Verneri Pohjola are nominated for Jazz-Emma.
