Jazz-Espa offers the hottest jazz in Helsinki once again at the turn of July and August. In addition to current jazz concerts, the week-long urban festival from July 29 to August 3, 2024, features interesting discussions about the future of jazz and music journalism. A new highlight of the anniversary year is Jazz- Espa's Children's Saturday, with concerts suitable for the whole family.
The annual Jazz-Espa brings jazz accessibly to the heart of Helsinki, with 15 jazz ensembles performing for free on an accessible Espa stage. During the festival's 25th anniversary year, a diverse range of new jazz will be heard again, but this time also discussions about jazz. Jazz-Espa concerts are held on weekdays at 4:00 PM and 5:30 PM, with additional concerts at 1:00 PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. On Saturday, August 3, Jazz-Espa's Children's Saturday takes over the Espa stage with two family-friendly concerts at 2:00 PM and 3:30 PM.
The festival opens on Monday, July 29 at 2:45 PM with Helsinki's Deputy Mayor for Culture and Leisure, Paavo Arhinmäki, followed by a discussion from 3:00 PM to 3:45 PM concerning the state of jazz in Finland yesterday, today, and in the future. Speakers include a wide range of industry professionals and influencers: Kaisa Rönkkö, musician and composer Olli Ahvenlahti, Jussi Fredriksson, Sami Linna, and Pekka Laine. Additionally, Nasima Razmyar (SDP) will participate. The discussion is moderated by Katri Kallionpää.
On Friday, August 2, at 2:30 PM, the Jazz Federation joins forces with the Finnish Critics Association SARV's music section for an in-depth discussion on the state of music journalism, with a particular focus on more marginalized music genres. As the media landscape changes and digitalization challenges traditional music journalism in many ways, it is important to consider whether these changes also bring opportunities and what the future of music journalism looks like. The discussion is led by cultural journalist Siskotuulikki Toijonen. Joining her in the discussion are Yle's responsible producer for cultural news and current affairs Satu Nurmio, musician and composer Selma Savolainen, and music maker-musician and cultural journalist Markus Nordenstreng.
The anniversary year's music program emphasizes many young jazz newcomers and vocal jazz talents. On the opening day, Monday, July 29, last year's Jazz-Emma winner Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui and the 2022 Emma nominee Juho Valjakka Trio will perform. New additions include a solo concert by saxophonist- composer Pauli Lyytinen, who explores the dimensions of saxophone and electronics, a duo by Estonian pianist Kirke Karja and Finnish saxophonist Mikko Innanen, and Wishamalii led by pianist Kari Ikonen, with Palestinian-Jordanian singer-oudist-composer Nemat Battah as a soloist.
During Jazz-Espa week, performances will also include Freezer in a lizard suit, the turbo ensemble Janne Huttunen Quintet featuring top Finnish jazz musicians, and several ensembles led by internationally successful vocalist-composers such as Kadi Vija Key Project and Sanna Ruohoniemi. The experimental concert group VIRTA will perform at the Jazz-Espa X Grotesk Live club on Thursday evening. A new addition to Jazz-Espa is the Children's Saturday at the end of the week, with Screaming Jay & The Bones, known for their engaging and family-friendly jazz concerts, and the Emma-awarded children's band Megasakki, which blends jazz and soul.
The full event program can be seen below and at www.jazzespa.fi/eng.
Jazz-Espa is organized in cooperation with the Savoy Theater, which manages the Espa stage. Other supporters of the event include the Helsinki Cultural Center, William Thuring Foundation, Oskar Öflund
Foundation, Music Promotion Center, Concert Center, the Jazz Department of the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts, the Embassy of Estonia in Helsinki, Restaurant Kappeli, Pop & Jazz Conservatory, and Grotesk Helsinki.
JAZZ-ESPA 2024
Mon 29.7.
2:45 PM Helsinki Deputy Mayor Paavo Arhinmäki opens the festival
3:00 PM Panel discussion: Jazz in Finland now and in the future – A talk about jazz on the eve of Jazz in Finland's 100th anniversary
4:00 PM Juho Valjakka Trio
5:30 PM Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui
Tue 30.7.
1:00 PM Pauli Lyytinen Solo 4:00 PM Kadi Vija Key Project 5:30 PM Freezer
Wed 31.7.
1:00 PM Kirke Karja & Mikko Innanen 4:00 PM Sanna Ruohoniemi
5:30 PM PUHTI Trio
Thu 1.8.
1:00 PM Wishamalii
4:00 PM Emmi U. Trio
5:30 PM Janne Huttunen Quintet
8:00 PM–1:30 AM Restaurant Grotesk, Ludviginkatu 10, Helsinki: Grotesk Live X Jazz-Espa: DJ A. Myllykoski, VJ Random Doctors, VIRTA (tickets 11,50 € from Tiketti)
Fri 2.8.
2:30 PM SARV X Jazz-Espa discussion event: Where are you going, Finnish music journalism? 4:00 PM Joonatan Henriksson Quintet
5:30 PM Sigurdur Rögnvaldsson Lúna
Sat 3.8. Jazz-Espa's Children's Saturday:
2:00 PM Screaming Jay & The Bones 3:30 PM Megasakki
www.jazzespa.fi
www.espanlava.fi
www.jazzliitto.fi
Photo: Freezer, Aleks Talve