The Finnish Jazz Federation awarded Charles Gil for his 20-year-long work in the free jazz and improvised music field in Finland and in France. His agency Free Voices And Sounds has produced and managed tours and concerts for French and Finnish bands in Finland, France and the Baltics. The Andania award was given to Gil at the Free Voices And Sounds 20-year-anniversary concert at Malmitalo on Tuesday, November 1st.
Andania award is granted to a person or a group for long-term, perseverent work for the promotion and establishment of Finnish jazz music and culture. The first Andania award was given in 1988. The prize is named after the Andania ship, on which jazz music allegedly arrived in Finland in 1926.