Savitaipale soi festival comes again this June – now jazzier than ever. The three-day event features pianist Iiro Rantala, trumpeter Mikko Pettinen & Happy People, saxophonist Timo Lassy with vocalist Johanna Försti, salsa group Tiempo Habana, the definitive group of Finnish funk, The Northern Governors, young stellar vibeist Panu Savolainen and the acclaimed Ilmiliekki Quartet with Emma Salokoski.
Located in Southern Karelia, the small town of Savitaipale with only 3000 inhabitants plays host to Savitaipale Soi festival now for the third time. This year, the festival offers an exceptionally wide cross-section of today’s Finnish jazz with the very vanguard of Finland’s jazz life amply represented. Among the most eagerly-awaited guests is surely pianist Iiro Rantala whose virtuoso pianism can be enjoyed at Savitaipale for the first time after a substantial break of six months. Rantala performs solo at the festival’s opening concert on 26 June.
On the same night trumpeter Mikko Pettinen presents his quartet Happy People at the local restaurant Sahrami. Pettinen is perhaps better known as a trumpeter in the big band UMO Jazz Orchestra’s ranks but in this concert he surprises us with his skills as a vocalist and pianist. “What makes this gig special is the line-up: we have not performed as a quartet before and I can promise that this line-up equals ultra-tight jamming”, says Pettinen.
The main concert takes place on Saturday 27 June in the beautiful Hakaniemi Museum grounds. It is opened with cheery children’s programme as “Maukan ja Väykän hyvä päivä” musical play invades the stage. Staged by Teatteri Kapsäkki, the play features actress Lotta Kuusisto and actor Paavo Kerosuo – both familiar faces from TV – who make the animal characters created by writer Timo Parvela come to life.
Adults’ programme begins with panache in the afternoon when the stage is taken by the hardest-grooving jazz quintet of the country, Timo Lassy Band, featuring the dazzling soul vocalist Johanna Försti. After the sax man, we travel to Cuba with the help of the irresistible Finno-Cuban ten-piece, Tiempo Habana. The night is closed by a veritable dream-team, The Northern Governors, who spread the gospel of funk with the strength of more than ten members.
Those who are still hungry for great live music can choose from blues, salsa and a delicious Monica Zetterlund tribute show. The beloved Swedish diva Zetterlund’s repertory is interpreted by a sextet of younger-generation Finnish jazzers and we are in for arrangements penned by the American pianist Bill Evans without forgetting Zetterlund’s catchier and lighter pieces.
On Sunday, the local church provides a setting for two fine concerts. The first of these sees vibraphone player Panu Savolainen show how vague genre boundaries can be by interpreting, among others, J. S. Bach’s compositions. The day will climax in the long-awaited concert by Ilmiliekki Quartet feat. Emma Salokoski, who perform renditions of old Swedish folk songs.
Jazz music will be present in the local library from 15 June to 3 July, too, in the form of photographs. The exhibition, dealing with New Orleans, is curated by trombonist and ethnomusicologist Katja Toivola. The event will see other free concerts and happenings for children.