The Esplanadi Park Stage, just off the Kauppatori market and harbour, will be the backdrop for Finnish Jazz Federation’s traditional open-air concert series, Jazz-Espa on July 24 – August 4. On Saturday, the 5th of August, the two-week extravaganza builds up to a family-friendly mini-festival, Jazzjatkot.
This year, the annual concert series Jazz-Espa invades the Espa Stage for the 18th time. As always, the open-air festival will deliver both fresh acts and well-known veterans, offering a an accessible cross-section of today’s Finnish jazz. The jazzy fortnight saw thousands of visitors attend the concerts last year, and, indeed, the festival has established itself as one of the cornerstones of Helsinki’s summery jazz life among both tourists and Helsinkians.
This year, Jazz-Espa is organised on 24 July - 4 August, with concerts taking place at 4pm and 5:30pm from Monday to Thursday and at 4pm on Fridays and Saturdays. The opening Monday presents only the 4pm concert. The venue is accessible to wheelchair users and there is no age limit or admission fee. For the hungry and the thirsty, the opposite terrace of Ravintola Kappeli is the perfect spot, offering refreshments and snacks and commanding a good view to the stage.
The Jazz-Espa festival culminates in the free mini-festival Jazzjatkot on the 5th of August at the same stage, but expanding also to the neighbouring Kappeli terrace. The event welcomes also the youngest members of the family to enjoy the Gommi & Pommi children's show that kicks off the festivities. After the much-loved cat and rabbit duo Gommi & Pommi, the event presents the young stars of Katu Kaiku, the smoky and decadent sounds of Josén Pimeä Puoli and the stellar spacejazz-afrobeat powerball Afrobeat Quintet feat Jimi Tenor. The day turns into night in the swinging hands of our turntable heroes, We Jazz DJs Matti and Eero.
Jazz-Espa and Jazzjatkot are organised by the Finnish Jazz Federation and supported by the Finnish Music Foundation and The City of Helsinki Cultural Office. Partners and supporters include Restaurant Kappeli, Pianoplan T:mi Ari Harenko, Pop & Jazz Conservatory and Savoy Theatre.
www.jazzespa.fi | www.espanlava.fi | www.jazzfinland.fi | www.kappeli.fi
Jazz-Espa 24.7. - 4.8.2017, Espan lava, Helsinki
Ma/Mon 24.7.
16.00 William Suvanne Chess’n Jazz
Ti/Tue 25.7.
16.00 Adele Sauros Quartet feat. Max Zenger
17.30 Ilpo Murtojärvi Quartet
Ke/Wed 26.7.
16.00 GI/AN/T
17.30 Equally Stupid
To/Thu 27.7.
16.00 Bowman Trio
17.30 Soul What? feat. Joonatan Rautio
Pe/Fri 28.7.
16.00 Inga Söder - Stream Carries
La/Sat 29.7.
16.00 Njet Njet 9
Ma/Mon 31.7.
16.00 Riitta Paakki Quartet
17.30 Pauli Lyytinen Magnetia Orkesteri
Ti/Tue 1.8.
16.00 Buba Wii Aa
17.30 Foreign Friends
Ke/Wed 2.8.
16.00 Plastic Island
17.30 AR Quartet
To/Thu 3.8.
16.00 Remmel/Zenger/Heinola Trio
17.30 Tuomas Paukku Scription
Pe/Fri 4.8.
16.00 MAXXXTET
Jazzjatkot 5.8.2017, Espan lava & Kappeli, Helsinki
Open air event. Free entrance and accessible event. Age limit 18 years at the terrace bar area.
15.00 Gommi & Pommi
16.00 We Jazz DJs
17.00 Katu Kaiku
18.00 We Jazz DJs
19.00 Josén Pimeä Puoli
Kappeli:
20.00 We Jazz DJs
21.30 Afrobeat Quintet feat Jimi Tenor
We Jazz DJs + Jam session!
www.jazzespa.fi | www.espanlava.fi | www.jazzfinland.fi | www.kappeli.fi