The 30th Elojazz presents over 150 musicians during the five-day festival this week. Grande ensembles such as UMO, Timo Lassy Band & Ricky-Tick Big Band Brass, Oulu All Star Big Band and Oulu Youth Jazz Orchestra take over the stage this weekend.
The festival makes a false start on Wednesday with a club night at the Tuba Food & Lounge. The evening’s programme includes two ensembles from Oulu, LANAI and Tiina Vaattovaara and “Oululaisen musiikin levyraati goes Elojazz” record panel.
Like last year, the opening concert is held together with the Tuira congregation at the Tuira Church. The concert features Jori Huhtala 3 trio's strong atmospheres and soundscapes from their album released earlier this year. The evening ends with Johanna Iivanainen and Mikko Iivanainen. The duo conjures sensitive and moody atmosphere and the audience gets to enjoy Johanna’s own compositions and some of the duo’s favourite cover songs.
The main concerts are celebrated at the Prunnitori on Friday and Saturday. In addition to the main concerts, the festival spreads around the city restaurants and the Åström park, where the musicians of the Jazz park presents the local talent. The Jazz park also offers environment themed booths and a culture trading market, where anyone can bring their culture items to trade. Jazz park is part of the environment themed Symbioosi series of the Oulu August Festival.
Sunday celebrates the big band music as the Oulu All Star Big Band, with the lead of Mikko Hassinen and Jouni Järvelä, take over the stage of Rotuaari. The afternoon begins with the Big band fanfare composition contest final with its 15 participants. The contest is organized together with the Finnish Big Band federation. The anniversary year of the Elojazz ends with a ball, so take your dance shoes with you! The repertoire includes Duke Ellington’s and Billy Strayhorn’s jazz arrangements of Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker.
Exploding energy and moody atmospheres
Friday’s main concerts are opened by this year’s ‘Spotlight’ artist, Mikko Hassinen, and the artistic director Jukka Eskola & UMO. For the concert, the conductor Hassinen has arranged Eskola’s soul and bossa nova-oriented works for big band. International talents are seen later in the evening as the German trombonist, Nils Wogram, arrives to the stage together with Aki Rissanen Trio. The night ends with the American bassist Nik West, who brings exploding funk energy to the stage.
Saturday begins with the audience’s favourite, Oulu Youth Jazz Orchestra and follows three very different ensembles. One of the most distinguished Finnish vocalists, Aili Ikonen performs emotional pieces from her last autumn’s album, when again energetic Mopo leads the audience to whole other world with their jazz and punk combining style. The night culminates with the rarely performing grand ensemble, as the saxophonist, Timo Lassy, joins forces with the famous Ricky-Tick Big Band’s brass section.
On Friday, the after club at Voimala 1889 presents jazz tunes based on Ella Fitzgerald’s interpretations performed by Johanna and Mikko Iivanainen and Ville Herrala. On Saturday the after club is taken over by Jaska Lukkarinen Trio, which is known for their energetic live shows, and their guest star guitarist Raoul Björkenheim.
The festival is produced by Jazz-20 ry. Tickets are on sale in Ticketmaster’s online shops and in stores (Musiikki-Kullas, Valkealinnan lippukauppa sekä Prismat Limingantulli, Raksila ja Linnanmaa). Free of service fee from Oulu10 and Valve’s ticket store. See the full programme in www.elojazz.com.
Elojazz is part of the Oulu August Festival, which includes seven festivals and about 200 events in August. See the full programme of the Oulu August Festival in www.oulunjuhlaviikot.fi