The captivating sound of big jazz orchestras will fill the city next week as part of the Finnish Big Band Days. Turku Jazz Orchestra and Tero Lindberg will celebrate their new album, and UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra will perform a free concert in the Sigyn Hall.
The Finnish Big Band Days' free program on land kicks off on Friday, October 6th, at the Turku Conservatory and culminates in the Flame Jazz Cruise XXII aboard the Viking Grace. The ship departs from Turku Harbor on Saturday evening, October 7th.
The annual Big Band Days were held last year in Jyväskylä in collaboration with the Jyväskylä Big Band. This year, Turku Jazz Orchestra is the partner orchestra, and they will be releasing their new album Cold War 3.0 on Friday, October 6th, in collaboration with trumpeter Tero Lindberg.
The diverse program promises something for everyone. The opening night's highlight is the concert by the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, which will revisit the atmosphere of the previous day's Helsinki International Big Band Composition Competition. The entire program from the final concert will be performed in Turku, leaving it to the audience to decide whether the victory went to the right recipient.
Turku's own jazz pride, Turku Jazz Orchestra, will be heard not only in the album release concert during the cruise but also on land during a playdown session on Saturday afternoon at the Sigyn Hall. This session offers a unique opportunity to hear one's own big band arrangement played by a professional band led by Ville Vannemaa.
The long-time conductor Antti Rissanen's big band conducting course will culminate in the students' trial by fire as the grand finale of the Saturday program. The students will have the opportunity to conduct the Finnish Junior All Star Big Band and perform the iconic Thad Jones repertoire they have delved into during the course.
Aarni Häkkinen, chairman of the Finnish Big Band Association, eagerly anticipates the weekend.
"The Big Band Days have year after year brought together fans of big orchestras to enjoy the atmosphere and the diverse offerings of the event. This year, I am particularly excited about the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra concert and the big band jams on the Flame Jazz Cruise," Häkkinen says.
The event is jointly produced by the Finnish Big Band Association, Turku Jazz Orchestra, Turku Conservatory, and Jazz City Turku.
Explore the entire program of the Big Band Days: tjo.fi/tapahtumat
The program is free of charge, except for the Viking Grace jazz cruise.
Image: Olli Sulin