As has been the tradition, Sami tradition meets jazz at Kaamosjazz Festival in Saariselkä. This year’s festival stars the popular names of Sami music, Ulla Pirttijärvi-Länsman & Ulda and Niillas Holmberg with Roope Mäenpää. Sami music can be enjoyed in nine concerts altogether.
Jazz and the tradition of Sami music have shaken hands at Kaamosjazz Festival from the start. Nils-Aslak Valkeapää and Ailu Gaup enthralled the audience at the very first edition of the festival in 1981, and over the years such names of Sami music as Wimme Saari, Hildá Länsman and Niillas Holmberg have performed at the festival. Last year, Sami cultural and administrative centre Sajos played host to a sold-out concert where Niillas Holmerg and Šuvvaboját played the beloved songs of Veijo Länsman.
In the history of the festival, Sajos has traditionally been the venue for encounters of jazz and Sami music on the festival Saturday. This year, joik singer Ulla Pirttijärvi-Länsman & Ulda will take to the stage of Sajos. Active since 2009, the ensemble has forged a bridge between traditional and modern Sami music, with a particular emphasis on the nature of Lapland.
The concert will be kicked off by the teachers and students of Northern Sami from Ivalo primary school take over the stage dancing and singing. Avvila nieiddat will sing the music of their idol Mari Boine’s and the dance group Idjaráidalas will perform the dance Kuovssakasah. The word stands for northern lights in Inari Sami language.
In addition to the Inari village, Sami music will be heard at Saariselkä’s JazzArena, the cabin Aurora and at the local chapel. On the festival Friday, Ulla Pirttijärvi & Ulda will be joined by saxophonist Mikko Innanen and accordionist Veli Kujala at the JazzArena. These three concerts see modernists of Sami music and adventurous Finnish jazzers join forces.
On Saturday, Niillas Holmberg and Roope Mäenpää feature Naftule’s Band at the JazzArena on a unique, tailored project where Sami and Klezmer music meet each other. Duo Holmberg and Mäenpää will also give a late-night concert at Aurora Cabin and close the festival at the Chapel.
Kaamosjazz is the northernmost jazz festival of the European Union and it is growing more and more international every year. Inari-Saariselkä Matkailu Oy is heavily involved in developing and producing the festival in collaboration with the Raahe-based Tuupa Records. Tuupa Records has a great deal of experience in organising music events and declares itself a sturdy proponent of Sami culture.
“It is of great importance to everyone behind the Kaamosjazz Festival that local colour and Sami music can be seen and heard throughout the festival,” says Tarja Manninen the Marketing Director of Inari-Saariselkä Matkailu.
Kaamosjazz takes place on 23 - 26 November at Saariselkä, Inari and Karingasniemi.
See the whole programme on http://www.kaamosjazz.fi