The legendary Sir Tom Jones and domestic stars Pepe & Saimaa, Erja Lyytinen, Aili Ikonen and Arppa will perform at Pori Jazz in July 2023.
Singer Tom Jones will perform at Pori Jazz in July. The legendary singer's concert at the Kirjurinluoto concert park will be heard on Thursday, July 13.
Tom Jones has been at the top of the music world for 60 years. His international career started in 1964 with the song It's Not Unusual. This started a string of hits: I'll Never Fall In Love Again, Delilah, Green, Green Grass of Home and I Who Have Nothing. What`s New Pussycat and the James Bond theme song Thunderball opened the way to the world of film music to Jones. His more recent hits include a version of Prince's song Kiss as well as If I Only Knew and Sex Bomb.
Tom Jones is a versatile and adaptable singer whose concerts consist of his own pop hits as well as rhythm and blues, country and soul. He has interpreted the productions of Bob Dylan and John Lee Hooker, among others, and sung duets with Van Morrison, Wyclef Jean and Tori Amos. Jones was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006, and Sir Tom was also one of the main performers at the Diamond Jubilee concert organized in honor of Elizabeth II's 60-year reign.
On the same day, Thursday 13 July, Pepe & Saimaa and blues guitarist Erja Lyytinen will also perform in Kirjurinluodo.
The album Pepe & Saimaa by Pepe Willberg and the band Saimaa became a phenomenon in Finland almost ten years ago. The musical style of the album, which took pompous and grandiose influences from the 60s and 70s, rose to the top of Finland's official album chart. The album's songs, Lyhyenä hetkenä and Tällä kadulla, became pop gems and radio hits.
The entire album will be performed in Kirjurinluodo with the original giant line-up, where Pepe Willberg and Saimaa will be supported by the Vantaa Orchestra and the chamber choir of Vaskivuori high school.
Guitarist and singer Erja Lyytinen was chosen as the best blues guitarist of 2017 in the European Blues Awards voting. In 2019, Erja Lyytinen ranked 14th in the international Guitar World magazine's "World's best blues guitarists" poll. In addition to blues, her music is influenced by rock and funk, among other things. Lyytinen has performed with Carlos Santana, Joe Bonamassa and Jennifer Batten.
Saturday 15 July will offer up concerts from Aili Ikonen and Arppa.
Known as a sensitive and skilled interpreter, Aili Ikonen is a versatile singer and songwriter. In addition to her just-released album Helposti palavaa, she has released three solo albums, and her discography also includes three albums by the Kvalda jazz band, Jazzbasilli together with the HERD jazz trio, two albums by the Hereä band, and a tribute album dedicated to Ella Fitzgerald. Aili Ikonen performs widely with top domestic artists of our time and is also known nowadays as a member of the Rajaton vocal group.
Known for his energetic, improvisation-based concerts, Arppa is one of the top names in current Finnish indies. Arppa has surrounded himself with skilled and bright musicians, thanks to which a beautiful and complete soundscape has been built around his atmospheric texts. Arppa and his band will release their third album Valeria on March 10, 2023.