Renowned Finnish jazz artists saxophonist Timo Lassy and trumpeter Jukka Eskola fulfilled a long-time dream by recording the Lassy-Eskola - Nordic Stew album in New Orleans with top local musicians. Following the album release, they will embark on a five-concert tour in Finland starting from the Savoy Jazz Festival in Helsinki on March 6, accompanied by American musicians.
Nordic Stew was recorded in January 2022 at the prestigious Esplanade Studio in New Orleans, housed in an old church, under the direction of its Grammy-winning owner Misha Kachakachishvili. In addition to Timo Lassy and Jukka Eskola, the album, which contains ten new tracks, features six renowned musicians from New Orleans and Lassy and Eskola's long-time collaborator from Finland, percussionist Abdissa Assefa. Among the New Orleans musicians are well-known figures such as Herlin Riley (drums), David Torkanowsky (piano, Wurlizer), Roland Guerin (bass), Delfeayo Marsalis (trombone), and Kirk Joseph (sousaphone).
"This whole project has been quite an adventure for us. We're really happy that we ended up recording in New Orleans. And we're especially proud of how the album sounds now!" say Timo Lassy and Jukka Eskola.
Nordic Stew is a blend of Lassy and Eskola's musical experiences combined with a deep love for the birthplace of jazz. The album is released by the Dutch label Dox Records.
After the album release, Lassy and Eskola will embark on unique joint performances with American musicians. The Nordic Stew concerts will take place on Wednesday, March 6, at the Savoy Jazz Festival in Helsinki, on Thursday, March 7, at the Turku Jazz Festival, on Friday, March 8, at Klubi in Tampere, on Saturday, March 9, at the Hanko City Hall, on Tuesday, March 12, at the Oulu Music Festival, and on Wednesday, March 13, at Philly Joe's in Tallinn. The concerts will also feature the New Orleans musicians who participated in the album recording.
Nordic Stew Concerts:
March 6: Helsinki - Savoy Jazz Fest
March 7: Turku - Turku Jazz Festival
March 8: Tampere - Klubi
March 9: Hanko - Hanko City Hall
March 12: Oulu - Oulu Music Festival
March 13: Tallinn - Philly Joe's
Lassy - Eskola "Nordic Stew" Live Lineup:
Timo Lassy: tenor saxophone
Jukka Eskola: trumpet
David Torkanowsky: piano
Roland Guerin: bass
Jason Marsalis: drums
Miika Jämsä: tuba
https://timolassy.comhttps://jukkaeskola.com
Photo Credit: Noe Cugny