Lahti Big Band has released the first features of the Lahti Jazztori 2020 programme. Held between 25th September-3rd October, the festival will host Finnish top names and interesting international guests.
Lahti Big Band will include five original productions in the programme, which is the band's boldest stake in years. The festival's artistic director Erno Tiittanen is happy with their bookings.
"We can offer an interesting and diverse programme that is also artistically significant. Due to the many cancellations this spring and summer, Jazztori is looking to be one of the most important jazz festivals in Finland this year."
Lahti Big Band will open the festival with a concert honoring the memory of Louis Armstrong. The concert will feature as its trumpet and vocal soloist the virtuoso Kalevi Louhivuori. The first festival weekend will host as its international guest the Finnish-Italian-American Beetroot Ensemble, whose Italian members have received support from their national cultural ministry. Finland is represented by Casimir Ekman.
"Supporting young talent is an important part of the spirit of Jazztori, as well as the traditional free events and the affiliated camps", says Tiittanen. "It's great to have a rising star like Casimir with us."
Bass player Kaisa Mäensivu, who divides her time between New York and touring globally, will perform together with Tiittanen's Arricone Brass Septet on Sunday 27th September. The joint performance of the septet and Jimi Tenor was one of the highlights of the 2019 edition of the festival.
Saxophones are strongly featured in the latter weekend of the festival. Roots-playing Masa Orpana Honk arrives in Lahti featuring two guest saxophones. Saturday will feature the debut concert of Joakim Berghäll Dark Roast 006 that will see three baritone saxophones take the stage. In addition to Berghäll the ensemble will feature the seminal Linda Fredriksson and Max Zenger.
The full programme will be released during summer and early autumn. Ant Brew, the new brewery pub in town, has already agreed to host the jazz quiz.
For more information about the programme, visit the festival website.
Photo: The seminal Kalevi Louhivuori (on the left) is one of Erno Tiittanen's (on the right) bookings for Jazztori 2020.