The Turku Sea Jazz, now in its fourth year, will kick off at the Kirkkopuiston Terassi on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, with Thursday being spent on Seili Island. The weekend concerts will take place on August 2–3, 2024, in the Forum Marinum maritime center area along the Aura River. This year, the top names in Finnish jazz will be heard even more extensively in various venues within the maritime museum from morning till night. During the festival week, there will also be a Jazz Camp for Girls, launched by the Danish Jazz Federation.
Turku Sea Jazz kicks off with a free event on Wednesday, July 31, 2024, in the beautiful setting of Tuomiokirkonpuisto, in collaboration with the John Nurminen Foundation. The evening will feature two bands: Ukko Heinonen & Josu Mämmi, performing material from their debut album, and the Turku-based quartet Puños, with their funk repertoire. Between the concerts, a Baltic Sea-themed discussion will take place, with current expert guests discussing the well-being of the Baltic Sea, led by the John Nurminen Foundation.
A concert trip to Seili Island, a highlight for many music lovers, is also part of this year's festival program. On Thursday, August 1, the Seili Church will host a solo concert by vibraphone master Panu Savolainen, followed by a performance by the dazzling quartet Superposition in the courtyard of Seili's main building. The M/S Norrskär will transport the concert audience from Aurajokiranta to Seili in the morning, returning to Turku in the early evening.
The festival area at Forum Marinum is being renewed, with the main concerts on Friday and Saturday taking place in the atmospheric Kruununmakasiini Boathouse, featuring two top bands each evening. On Friday, August 2, the festival evening will begin with the much-anticipated The Stance Brothers, led by jazz visionary Teppo Mäkynen, whose music blends Brazilian funk with sample-based hip hop. The evening will culminate in a celebration of jazz legend Olli Ahvenlahti's new album Mirror Mirror and his 75th birthday, with an exploration of jazz funk. On Saturday, August 3, the festival will delve into world music hues with the brand-new Palestinian-Finnish trio Wishamalii, and the festival will close with soulful interpretations and stunning grooves from singer-pianist Tuomo and his trio.
In addition to the performances in the Boathouse, live jazz can be heard at Forum Marinum from Wednesday to Saturday, starting in the morning. The festival's new Museum Musicians series features top Finnish jazz artists, from Linda Fredriksson to Severi Pyysalo, performing short 15-minute sets in different museum spaces for exhibition visitors. On Thursday, August 1, the series will include the final concert of the Girls' Jazz Camp at 1 PM. Additionally, on Friday, August 2, at 4 PM, Eero Koivistoinen Quartet will perform in the new champagne bar on the ship Suomen Joutsen. Access to the museum area performances and Suomen Joutsen is included with a regular museum ticket.
A delicious new feature of Turku Sea Jazz is the concert and dinner package on Saturday, August 3. For this special concert, a trio of Kaisa / Gunu / Max will perform in a surprise location within the Forum Marinum area, a place rarely accessible to the public! After the concert, guests will enjoy a three-course Sea Jazz Dinner at Restaurant Göran.
Turku Sea Jazz is part of the Archipelago Sea Jazz series, which includes Baltic Jazz, Korpo Sea Jazz, and Åland Sea Jazz. Through the ticket sales for all the series' festivals, you can support the John Nurminen Foundation's marine environment work via Tiketti.
Turku Sea Jazz 2024 – PROGRAM
PRELUDE – Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Suomen Joutsen Champagne Bar
2 PM: Archipelago Sea Jazz All Stars
Wednesday, July 31, 2024
Forum Marinum, Museum Area
10 AM – 12 PM and 1 PM – 3 PM: Museum Musicians: Linda Fredriksson, Adele Sauros, Mikael Saastamoinen, and Olavi Louhivuori
Tuomiokirkonpuisto Terrace, free entry
6 PM: Ukko Heinonen & Josu Mämmi: Blanc Lines
7 PM: Good health and long lines – John Nurminen Foundation discussion
8 PM: Puños
Thursday, August 1, 2024
Forum Marinum, Museum Area
1 PM: Jazz Camp for Girls, final concert
2:30 PM – 4:30 PM: Museum Musicians: Kaisa Mäensivu and Jussi Karhujoki
Seili Church
12 PM: Panu Savolainen Solo
Seili Main Building
2 PM: Superposition
Friday, August 2, 2024
Forum Marinum, Museum Area
10 AM – 12 PM and 1 PM – 3 PM: Museum Musicians: Ville Herrala, Eero Koivistoinen, and Alexi Tuomarila
Suomen Joutsen Champagne Bar
4 PM: Eero Koivistoinen Quartet
Forum Marinum, Boathouse
7 PM: The Stance Brothers
9 PM: Olli Ahvenlahti New Quintet
Saturday, August 3, 2024
Forum Marinum, Museum Area
10 AM – 12 PM and 1 PM – 3 PM: Museum Musicians: Olli Virtanen and Severi Pyysalo
Forum Marinum, Surprise Location!
3:30 PM: Gathering at Restaurant Göran's terrace
3:45 PM: Welcome drinks at the surprise location
4 PM: Kaisa / Gunu / Max
5 PM: Sea Jazz Dinner at Restaurant Göran
Forum Marinum, Boathouse
7 PM: Wishamalii (PS/FI)
9 PM: Tuomo
For more information and tickets, visit: www.turkuseajazz.fi