For the first time, April Jazz Festival in Espoo will run for three weeks and take place on April 14-30, 2022. The program of the 36th festival has been published in its entirety and tickets are on sale via Lippupiste.
New additions to the festival's international performers include French band Sarab, the Swiss Trio Heinz Herbert, Trondheim Jazz Orchestra and trumpet player Robinson Khoury, who will perform as the soloist of the Espoo Big Band. Mirja Mäkelä Trio, Ilkka Arola Sound Tagine, Maxxxtet and UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra will celebrate their respective record releases at April Jazz. Other now released Finnish performers include Timo Lassy Trio, Johanna Iivanainen, Elifantree, the duo of Anni Elif and Seppo Kantonen, Joonatan Henriksson Quintet and Ebeli Big Band, Junior All Star Big Band, Oulu Youth Jazz Orchestra and PMO Big Band.
The headliners of the festival feature fado's biggest world star Mariza, multiple Grammy-winning Cuban pianist Gonzalo Rubalcaba and the six-member a cappella band Accent. The festival ends on the eve of May Day with a concert by singer Maria Ylipää and the Tapiola Sinfonietta. The Swedish band Dirty Loops, which is coming to Finland for the first time, will perform at Kulttuuritehdas Korjaamo in Helsinki.
April Jazz's takes place at the Tapiola-sali and Louhisali of the Espoo Cultural Centre, Tapiola Church, EMMA Museum of Modern Art in Espoo, Revontuli hall of the Espoo City Theater in Tapiola, Sellosali in Leppävaara, Trap Factory in Otaniemi and Korjaamo Culture Factory in Töölö, Helsinki.
April Jazz is one of the largest jazz festivals in Finland and has been held in Espoo every year since 1987. The event is organized by Espoo Big Band ry.
Photo of Gonzalo Rubalcaba © Pachy Lopez