The Finnish Jazz Federation, Europe Jazz Network, Music Finland and Sibelius Academy teamed up to organize the hotspot for European jazz industry. The export event took place in Helsinki on September 18 - 21.
The Jazz Finland Festival kicked off with a seminar programme, part of the Europe Jazz Conference. The seminar spanned two days and a great number of topical questions pertaining to jazz today were covered in keynote presentations and working groups. The festival hosted the General Assembly of the Europe Jazz Network as well, and witnessed the presidency of EJN to pass on from Finn Annamaija Saarela to Ros Rigby of The Sage Gateshead concert house and Music Education Centre.
The live music programme spanned four days and took place in five major venues for jazz music around Helsinki; Koko Jazz Club, Helsinki Music Centre, Lavaklubi, Culture Factory Korjaamo and record shop Digelius Music. Many of the concerts were sold out. Winning performances were seen from Finnish jazz groups and artists Elena & The Rom Ensemble, AR Quartet, Aki Rissanen Trio, Ilmiliekki Quartet, Kari Ikonen Trio, Nina Mya, Mopo, Elektro GT, UMO Jazz Orchestra, Mikko Innanen & Innkvisitio, SUN Trio, Elifantree, Jussi Fredriksson Jazz Wars, Raoul Björkenheim eCsTaSy, Timo Lassy Band, Dalindèo, We Jazz DJs ja Panu Savolainen. In total, the festival saw live performances from 17 Finnish jazz groups and 71 musicians.
A key goal of the Jazz Finland Festival was to bring Finnish and international jazz professionals under the same roof. Several opportunities for making new contacts and partnerships were arranged for the 59 Finnish delegations and the 120 international players. Different music and arts media was represented by 18 international and 17 Finnish journalists. One of the key topics of the weekend was Scandinavian collaboration, with the Young Nordic Jazz Comets providing a window to the vitality of the jazz scene up north. Also, it was announced that the YNJC showcase would be organised in Finland next year, taking place in junction with the Tampere Jazz Happening 2015.
Jazz Finland would like to thank warmly all the musicians, guests, festival visitors, volunteers and the staff of each venue and the Crowne Plaza hotel. Very special thanks go to Annamaija Saarela for her work in the Europe Jazz Network and contribution to the Finnish jazz industry and to the ambassador of Finnish jazz culture, Emu Lehtinen of Digelius Music.
In addition to each of our partners, we would like to thank the Ministry of Education and Culture, the Finnish Music Foundation, the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Finnish Cultural and Academic Institutes, City of Helsinki Cultural Office, April Jazz, We Jazz, Tampere Jazz Happening, UMO Jazz Orchestra, Raahe Jazz on the Beach, Finnish-Norwegian Cultural Foundation and Finnish-Danish Cultural Foundation for their support and co-operation.