The Junior All Star Big Band (JAS), led by the Finnish Big Band Association, is a big band comprised of young Finnish talented jazz musicians. JAS will celebrate its 20 year anniversary this year and the big band will go on tour in October, covering five locations in Finland and two in Estonia. The program for the tour consists of compositions by Bob Mintzer.
JAS's anniversary tour venues include:
12.10. Pohjankartano hall (Oulu)
13.10. Carelia hall (Joensuu)
14.10. Poppari (Jyväskylä)
15.10. Parish center (Kotka)
16.10. Kouvola House (Kouvola)
17.10. Cultural center Virta (Imatra)
JAS Big Band offers talented players between the ages of 15 and 25 the opportunity to play with skilfull peers under professional guidance. JAS's young musicians come from all over the country and have been selected through an auction process. Over the years, the orchestra has rehearsed and given concerts all over Finland, e.g. in Helsinki, Lieksa, Kuopio, Oulu, Imatra, Savonlinna, Joutseno, Lahti and Kotka. JAS has won awards several times in the Finnish Big Band championships in 2006-2018. The orchestra's artistic director is Antti Rissanen and the section and instrument trainers include some of the best in the Finnish field.