The Rising Star prize is to aid a promising group in releasing their debut album and grant an opportunity to play live at the We Jazz 2014 event. The prize is now granted for the second time.
We Jazz Rising Star Prize, awarded at the second We Jazz event, already in full swing, will be given to Mikko Sarvanne Hip Company. The group, led by the eponymous composer-conductor, will receive support in bringing out their first album: the publishing label will be Fredriksson Music, and the Helsinki-based creative office We Jazz – also behind the We Jazz 2014 festival – will commit to design the album cover, promotional photographs and carry out a publicity campaign free of charge. The group will also perform on13 December at the We Jazz jazz brunch at restaurant Siltanen starting from 12:00.
Mikko Sarvanne Hip Company is an 11-piece of young up-and-coming jazzers. The group’s repertoire consists mainly of Sarvanne’s original compositions, and their style combines an effortless swing with touching melodies and urban mindscapes evoked by the buzz of their home city, Helsinki. Despite their size, which comes close to that of a big band, the group has managed to retain the freedom and unpredictability of a jazz small ensemble which enable each musician’s individual contribution and personality to become heard.
“Rewarding and aiding rising Finnish jazz acts suits our philosophy perfectly”, says Matti Nives, the Artistic Director of We Jazz. “Similarly to AR Quartet who won the prize last year, Mikko Sarvanne Hip Company has shown to be active in furthering their career and we felt that we wanted to give that attitude an extra kick. Brimming with strong musical vision, this group is a collection of gifted young musicians and has no doubt a very bright future ahead of them. I’m also very pleased that our co-operation with Fredriksson Music that released the debut of last year’s winning group, AR Quartet, continues this year.”
The manager of Fredriksson Music, Jussi Fredriksson, shares Nives’s views: “There are a number of brilliant, yet relatively unknown young artists on the Finnish jazz scene. Mikko Sarvanne Hip Company is unarguably among them. As more experienced players, it is our duty to direct the limelight onto this gifted young set and help them to be discovered. Fredriksson Music is eager to work to ensure the well-being of future Finnish jazz.”
We Jazz to organise "Modern Second Line" to Ääniwalli on 10 December
Members of Mikko Sarvanne Hip Company will also be among a jazz parade, leading the audience to Ääniwalli, which is now introduced as a new We Jazz venue. The parade will start towards the venue at 6:30PM on 10 December from in front of Sture Jazz Bar, situated at the corner of Sturenkatu and Mäkelänkatu. The night’s headlining act at Ääniwalli will be Nils Wogram Root 70 With Strings whose members are from Germany and New Zealand. At the same concert we will also hear a commissioned work that has bassist Antti Lötjönen play with three trios, Joonas Haavisto Trio, Jaska Lukkarinen Trio and SUN Trio, simultaneously. The parade has been inspired by the traditional “second lines” of New Orleans. This means that a living and walking jazz group will play us to the venue. “Not many people may have ever visited Ääniwalli, and we decided to approach the potential problem of finding one’s way to the venue in a positive way. This is also a way of bringing more music to the programme!” tells Matti Nives.
Anyone is free to join the We Jazz 2014 parade by arriving at the corner of Sturenkatu and Mäkelänkatu on Wednesday 10 December at 6:30PM.
We Jazz 2014: Jazz Brunch
Sat 13 Dec at 11:00AM-3:00PM, Ravintola Siltanen (Hämeentie 13 B)
WE JAZZ RISING STAR 2014: MIKKO SARVANNE HIP COMPANY
WE JAZZ DJS
Table reservations: varaukset@siltanen.org / tel. 0440 660 530
We Jazz 2014 Modern Jazz Second Line
MEMBERS OF MIKKO SARVANNE HIP COMPANYN
From Sture Jazz Bar to Ääniwalli Wed 10 Dec at 6:30PM
MIKKO SARVANNE HIP COMPANY
Joona Kilponen: trumpet / Tomi Nikku: trumpet / Kirsi-Marja Harju: trumpet, flugel horn / Miika Hyttinen: trombone / Frans Thomsson: alto sax / Ukko Heinonen: tenor sax / Erik Hippi: tenor sax, flute / Anni Thomsson: baritone sax / Teemu Kekkonen: piano / Mikael Saastamoinen: bass / Sami Nummela: drums
Mikko Sarvanne: compositions, arrangements, conducting
https://www.facebook.com/mikkosarvannehipcompany
We Jazz 2014takes place in Helsinki from 8 to 13 December 2014 at seven different venues around the city. The event, presenting both Finnish and international top jazz, is organised by the Helsinki-based creative office We Jazz. A part of the programme is made up of commissioned works that challenge the traditional concept of the jazz concert.
Partners & supporters: Image, Web-veistämö Oy, Unifilm Oy, Goethe-Institut Finnland, City of Helsinki Cultural Office, Jenny & Antti Wihuri foundation, Finnish Music Foundation, Music Finland, Sam Huberin taidesäätiö (Sam Huber Art Foundation), Finnish Cultural Foundation, the jazz department of the Sibelius Academy, Paavalin seurakunta (St Paul's Congregation).
http://wejazz.fi/2014
http://facebook.com/wejazz
http://twitter.com/wejazzhelsinki
Instagram: @wejazzhelsinki
Twitter & Instagram: #wejazz2014