Espoo Cultural Centre offers a multifaceted and unique jazz programme this spring, featuring familiar tunes, new interpretations, free improvisation and fresh experiences.
Superposition
Superposition creates touching music with layers that reveal something new with each listen. The band, consisting of drummer Olavi Louhivuori, saxophonists Linda Fredriksson and Adele Sauros, and bassist Mikael Saastamoinen, won the Emma Award for Jazz Album of the Year with their previous album. The band members are well-known in various circles of contemporary Finnish jazz music. Three of the four members have also developed their musical synergy in the internationally touring Linda Fredriksson Juniper band. Superposition also garnered widespread attention both in Finland and internationally with their debut album, quickly becoming a live favorite due to their intense performances. All signs point to the band's continued rise with the release of their new album.
Verneri Pohjola: Monkey Mind
Trumpeter-composer Verneri Pohjola will take the stage at Louhisali with his band in February. The concert will feature material from Verneri's latest album Monkey Mind, a title that refers to the restless and uneasy nature of the mind. Pohjola is joined by a truly dream lineup, with each member being top-tier musicians in Europe, both in their own careers and musically.
Aili Ikonen & Jukka Perko: Klasstet
Singer Aili Ikonen and saxophonist Jukka Perko’s new ensemble interprets some of the most famous classical music pieces with a jazz-infused approach! Originally known in instrumental versions, these compositions receive new Finnish lyrics, written by well-known figures such as Paleface, Mariska, Mikko Kuustonen, and Kanerva Pasanen, one of today’s strongest Finnish lyricists. The concert program features familiar classical masterpieces, such as Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, Grieg’s Peer Gynt, and Sibelius’s Valse Triste, reimagined with brand new poetic lyrics. These pieces reveal new dimensions as the ensemble brings them to life with a fresh jazz interpretation.
OSMO IKONEN: O2 Tour
The beloved and highly regarded multi-talented musician Osmo Ikonen will release a new album in the spring of 2025. His fresh and exciting Finnish-language music has led to extensive radio play, television appearances, and performances at numerous festivals across Finland, as well as five of his own concert tours. Ikonen is also known for his appearances on SuomiLove and numerous other TV productions, where he serves as a vocalist, music producer, arranger, and musician. Ikonen was also a member of the band Sunrise Avenue, which ended in 2022.
SoundScapes #5
In early May, thirteen virtuosos of modern improvised avant-garde music will gather at Espoo Cultural Centre's Louhisali for the two-day SoundScapes #5 festival. The event celebrates the uniqueness and diversity of spontaneously composed music. During the SoundScapes concert nights, the performances will form unique creations — fleeting expressions of the present that exist only "here and now," dissolving into the next moment of improvisation. The audience will experience and participate in a holistic art journey brought to life through pure spatial sound experiences.
Sointi Jazz Orchestra
Sointi Jazz Orchestra, founded in the fall of 2013, is an 18-piece ensemble known for its distinctive jazz orchestra sound. The band annually creates new concert programs tailored specifically to them, with guest soloists including unique artists such as Juhani Aaltonen, Aili Järvelä, Mathias Eick, and Maria Faust. Sointi Jazz Orchestra's sixth studio album, Jäähyväiset, is inspired by the wonders of nature and the complex relationship between nature and humanity. Praised as an immersive masterpiece, the album's compositions push the boundaries of traditional jazz orchestra expression with intriguing instrumentation.
For dates and tickets, visit: https://www.espoo.fi/fi/espoon-kulttuurikeskus/espoon-kulttuurikeskuksen-tapahtumat