In addition to the traditional Artist of the Year award, this year Turku Jazz Festival introduced two new awards. During the award ceremony held at Logomo on the festival's Friday, a new Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Pauli Rukakoski, while the Young Talent Award was awarded to Veikka Kajamies.
The Turku Jazz Festival's Friday, March 8th, began with celebratory spirit at the Logomo Teatro hall. During the festival's award gala, a new lifetime achievement award was presented to a veteran who has made a significant contribution to the jazz scene in Southwest Finland, and a new recognition award was given to a young jazz talent from the same region.
The idea for the lifetime achievement award came from the board of Jazz City Turku, as several music operators expressed a desire to recognize Pauli Rukakoski during his 80th anniversary year. Rukakoski has made a significant contribution to Turku's jazz history. Thus, the concept of a new award category was born, and the award was fittingly named after its first recipient: the Ruka award.
"Pauli Rukakoski is one of the founding members of Turku Jazz Festival. He has been a jazz musician for decades, playing in the bands of nearly all jazz veterans, from Matti Heinivaho to Ted Curson and from Claes Andersson to Jyrki Kankaanpää. Pauli Rukakoski's contribution to the development of jazz culture in Southwest Finland will now be remembered through the Ruka award," commented the board of Jazz City Turku.
Pauli Rukakoski stumbled upon jazz accidentally when his older brother refused to share his records and told him to buy his own. While browsing through the record store, he heard Clifford Brown and Max Roach's "Study in Brown," and his heart was captured by jazz. In gig situations, Pauli Rukakoski has always stood by his favorite music and refused to join dance bands.
Having a namesake award warms the recipient's heart. "It feels really good!"
The idea of honoring an emerging young talent alongside the veteran award seemed natural to the board of Jazz City Turku. The name chosen for the youth award was appropriately the Severi award, named after Severi Pyysalo, who skyrocketed to international fame from Southwest Finland at the age of 16. The recipient of the award was not difficult to choose, as the young drumming talent Veikka Kajamies, who has become familiar to the Turku jazz scene, has drawn attention with his skills and activity for several years. Veikka has indeed become a favorite in the Turku jazz scene.
Veikka, who recently turned eighteen, knew at the age of ten that he wanted to become a professional musician. He began playing in gig bands with his father, pianist Timo Kajamies, and at only fourteen he had already played alongside Severi Pyysalo, Jari Perkiömäki, and Marian Petrescu.
Veikka, who is studying at the youth department of the Sibelius Academy's jazz division and is soon graduating from high school, is filled with music. "Currently, I have fourteen drum students, and at the end of March, I will start as a substitute piano teacher at the conservatory. I'm also working on my own songs and hopefully more projects with my own band. Of course, lots of practice as well!"
In the picture: Veikka Kajamies (left) and Pauli Rukakoski. Photo: Ilkka Arola