Combining avant-garde and free jazz, the irrepressible trio PLOP hits the road on a Finnish Jazz Federation-produced tour on 8 - 18 March stopping at Tampere, Joensuu, Mariehamn and Tallinn, among others. Having moved toward a more electric sound on their latest album, they promise to “swing, astound and provoke”.
PLOP is a colourful team of three A-listing Finnish jazzers, saxophonist Mikko Innanen, double bassist Ville Herrala and drummer Joonas Riippa, combining energetic compositions and free improvisation to an original and surprising effect. This spring PLOP has been active for 10 years, and to celebrate the anniversary they will go on an extensive Finnish-Ålandish-Estonian tour. The tour is also the second of this year’s Finnish Jazz Federation annual tours. The Federation produces four tours for four topical jazz groups each year.
One of Finland’s topmost jazz groups, PLOP say that their aim is to sound, above all, like themselves. Their music is serious, funny, up-tempo, slow, ugly, beautiful, swinging, shocking, wonderful and provoking. All three members compose for the band but due to the spontaneous nature of live performance PLOP’s shows may differ widely – sometimes they may play everyone’s pieces, sometimes no one’s. Their ten-year career has seen three full-length albums, An Sich (2009), Per Se (2013) and Unicorn (2015), all released on label Fiasco Records. The trio’s roads cross also in Innanen’s acclaimed big band Mikko Innanen 10+ who play a special collab concert with the choir Key Ensemble towards the end of the tour on 17 March at Turku’s Åbo Svenska Teatern.
Mikko Innanen (b. 1978) who plays the saxophone for PLOP has established himself as one of Finland’s most innovative jazz saxophonists and composers. The Yrjö Jazz Prize-winning Innanen leads several groups, including Mikko Innanen & Innkvisitio, Gourmet and Mikko Innanen 10+. Hailing from the old capital, Turku, Ville Herrala (b. 1979) is one of the most sought-after jazz bassists in Finland. Praised for his subtlety and versatility as a jazz musician, he is known from such groups as Jukka Perko Streamline Jazztet, Teemu Viinikainen Trio and Jukka Eskola Orquesta Bossa. Drummer Joonas Riippa (b. 1977) has proven himself to be an energetic and receptive musician – a great backbone to any group but also a skilful improviser. His knack for combining humour and serious art comes to the fore especially when giving duo shows with pianist Seppo Kantonen on the project Kahden miehen galaksi.
PLOP: Mikko Innanen, saxophones / Ville Herrala, double bass / Joonas Riippa, drums
Tour dates:
Wed 8.3. at 18.30, Jokioinen, Tietotalo
Thu 9.3. at 19.00, Helsinki, Ravintola Laulumiehet
Fri 10.3. at 19.00, Tampere, Tampereen vastaanottokeskus
Sat 11.3. at 18.00, Joensuu, Pakkahuone
Sun 12.3. at 19.00, Oulainen, Kulmajazz
Wed 15.3. at 19.00, Piikkiö, Pontelan talo
Thu 16.3. at 19.00, Maarianhamina, Alandica
(Fri 17.3. at 19.00, Turku, Åbo Svenska Teater, Mikko Innanen 10+ ja Key Ensemble)
Sat 18.3. at 21.00, Tallinn, Philly Joe's