Jazz Finland, Sibelius Academy Jazz Music Department at Uniarts Helsinki, UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra and the Finnish Musicians’ Union launched a new international jazz residency program in August 2021. Composer, drummer and percussionist John Hollenbeck (b. 1968) visited Helsinki as the first-ever Artist-in-Residence in this program in August 2021. Due to the pandemic, Hollenbeck’s visit was divided into two short periods, and the latter part finally takes place a year later, in August 2022.
John Hollenbeck is best known from his ensemble Claudia Quintet and from his collaborations with Bob Brookmeyer. Hollenbeck is a recipient of numerous industry awards as well as five GRAMMY Award nominations, among others. In 2005-2016, Hollenbeck was Professor of jazz drumming and improvisation at the Jazz Institute Berlin and in 2015, he joined the teaching faculty at the Shulich School of Music at the McGill University in Montreal.
Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, Hollenbeck managed to meet with circa 50 Finnish musicians during his two-week visit last year, teach at Sibelius Academy's jazz music teachers' camp, perform a concert with a band made up of Sibelius Academy teachers at KOKO Jazz Club in Helsinki on August 19, and a stream concert with UMO Helsinki on August 24 at Kulttuuritehdas Korjaamo. He also taught a master class at the Sibelius Academy.
Hollenbeck’s public performance dates in Finland during his 2022 stay will be updated at www.jazzfinlandresidency.fi
For more information about John Hollenbeck, please visit https://johnhollenbeck.com/
The second Artist-In-Residence in 2022 is Argentinian-born pianist, composer and band leader Guillermo Klein.
Guillermo Klein is known as a many-sided musician who incorporates influences from around the globe into his music.
Born in Buenos Aires, trained in the United States and based in New York today, he is a worldly jazz figure who winks at cultural pigeonholing. The classically trained Klein’s repertory has been described as a unique mix of modern jazz, classical music, Latin American folk music and rock, and he also names Argentinian tango as one of his influences. In his hands, these styles translate into colourful orchestrations, strong dynamic variation, polyrhythms and quirky syncopes.
Over his career, he has collaborated with the likes of Seamus Blake, Joshua Redman and various big bands, such as hr-Bigband and the Metropole Orchestra. He has released numerous albums with his own groups Big Van and Los Guachos.
The Jazz Finland Residency is a new high profile residency program for invited jazz musicians, composers and conductors. Coordinated and administrated by Jazz Finland, the program annually invites two international guests for 1–2 month residencies in Finland. The residency includes giving masterclasses at Sibelius Academy Jazz Department, as well as performing with the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra. The residency concept also enables local professional jazz musicians to initiate collaborations with the Artist-in-Residence.
Further residency partners include Music Finland, Finnish Jazz Musicians’ Association and the Helsinki International Artist Programme (HIAP).
Residency website: www.jazzfinlandresidency.fi