The Finnish Jazz Federation launches a multimedial forum to stir up discussion on the current state and future of jazz. The concept is a part of the multi-faceted project Jazz Finland, and it involves social media and live discussion sessions. In the Jazzpresso series the articles are the fuel to the flame. Dig in!
A topic is selected and introduced every other month by a Finnish or international jazz persona and published on the website Jazz Finland under the heading Jazzpresso. The first article in the series will be released on 30 January, this Friday. As the sites of discussion are various, the Finnish Jazz Federation encourages both professionals and friends of jazz to join in. The stage is yours!
Every other month a new discussion is opened on the Jazz Finland website, where a professional of jazz provides a conversation piece and chooses an opponent to present their (countering) views on the topic. From here the discussion moves onto the Jazz Finland Facebook page and Twitter (#jazzpresso), and can also be followed and commented by the international jazz media. The hottest potatoes will be debated at live discussions, called Jazzkahvit (the Jazz Café), where various players of the jazz field can be met, and where the audience and professionals can engage in an immediate dialogue and free exchange of views. The Finnish Jazz Federation first launched the Jazzkahvit in 2012. More information on when and where the table is set can be found on www.facebook.fi/jazzkahvit. So far the discussion sessions have been organised mainly in Helsinki, but proposals concerning the location are welcome. The discussions may be videoed and shared on jazzfinland.fi.
The webpage Jazz Finland was carried out with the support of the Ministry of Education and Culture in 2012-2013. The Finnish Jazz Federation is in charge of the execution and running of the site, which acts as a database of artists and bands, news and upcoming jazz concerts. However, Jazz Finland became soon more than a virtual site, branching out into a seminar where the current trends of the jazz world were debated in 2013 and into a full-blooded export event, Jazz Finland Festival, which took place in September 2014. Currently the title lends itself to a project of strategic work, involving a large number of jazz organisations.
The first columnist is a renowned Finnish jazz musician and pedagogue Jukkis Uotila, who will tackle the theme of tradition and its role in modern jazz. For the next discussion-opener, Uotila has challenged one of Finland's most acclaimed saxmen, who is a good example of a musician who has built bridges between different music styles.
Read the column here
Participate in the discussion on: www.facebook.fi/jazzfinland
Join the group to stay updated about Jazzkahvit discussion sessions: www.facebook.com/groups/jazzkahvit/
Share your views on Twitter: #jazzpresso
For further information, contact info@jazzliitto.fi and press@jazzfinland.fi
Photo: Tero Ahonen