Jazz Federation's newly-appointed director Ami Vuorinen has already heard this question a bunch of times during his first two months behind the steering wheel.
There's a question that I've faced more than a few times already. It seems that my response varies from day to day, from week to week, as the work itself varies too.
I started in my current position in the beginning of September, and it definitely has been real "hands-on" work right from the beginning. I have been fortunate to have all the professionals and experts within and in co-operation with the Federation to help me, so it hasn't really been a headfirst dive into unknown. I owe it to them that I now have perspective on Finnish jazz and my work from many angles.
At the moment in our office in Helsinki, we are drawing the future lines for year 2016, which is above all the Federation's 50-year anniversary celebration. It seems like I jumped onboard on exactly the right time; planning next year is like absorbing half-a-century's worth of Finnish Jazz Federation and keeping the spirit alive in the future projects. Every time I lay my eyes away from the computer screen on my desk and see the copy of the memorandum of the organization from year 1966, I feel I'm a part of something valuable and significant that is worth of celebrating.
In addition to the year-round anniversary events and projects, we are proud to launch something new and exciting, which has its roots firmly in the Finnish jazz association history too. Jazz Finland LIVE is a national club network project that is being piloted in 2016. The long-term aim for the project is to create a new support structure for jazz professionals in Finland. The focus of the project is not only on the musicians, but also (and increasingly) on concert organizers. More information will follow, both on the 50-year-megaparty and Jazz Finland LIVE project too.
Before we release any big news about next year, we have one big chunk of jazz to dig into, and that's on our plate this weekend. The history and the future are present here too. The Finnish Jazz Federation's official Fall Assembly takes place on Saturday 31st of October in Tampere's Telakka, on the course of the weekend-long contemporary jazz festival Tampere Jazz Happening. On Friday the 30th, the federation grants its annual Yrjö jazz award at the main festival venue Pakkahuone. Thursday night's Young Nordic Jazz Comets showcase at Klubi provides a sneak peak into the future of not only Finnish but Nordic jazz.
So see you in Tampere! If we haven't been introduced yet, let's shake hands next weekend and not be strangers anymore. I promise to spill the latest beans regarding the topical question.
Ami Vuorinen
Executive Director
Finnish Jazz Federation