2015 has seen the 40th anniversary of Finland’s number one big band, UMO Jazz Orchestra. The programme of the past spring season treated us to a string of unique concerts: flashbacks to the orchestra’s best moments, some of the jazz world’s most sought-after soloists and premieres from prestigious Finnish composers. UMO's autumn programme, which has now been released, will follow the same jubilant pattern.Tickets to all concerts are available for purchase.
Some of the highlights of the autumn programme include a Christmas tour with vocalist Anna Puu and a collaboration concert with the rising British soul diva Laura Mvula and the Helsinki City Philharmonics. The orchestra will also release two new albums, first of which was recorded with the late sax legend Michael Brecker twenty years ago and the second of which made in collaboration with the chameleonic multi-instrumentalist Jimi Tenor. UMO will also get nosey on the Red Nose Day, commemorating the Finnish rock legend Juice Leskinen with a host of first-class soloists, such as Jonna Tervomaa, Aino Venna, Jarkko Martikainen and Paleface.
UMO Jazz Orchestra is a professional 16-piece big band, operating extensively in the field of Finnish music. The orchestra performs contemporary music from jazz and soul to art music, combining old and new in a unique and exceptional way. Due to its uncompromising emphasis on quality and artistic vision, UMO has become in its 40 years of existence one of the world’s most respected big bands and a defining presence in the past, present and future of Finnish jazz.
Performing Finnish music has been one of UMO’s programmatic guiding principles throughout its history and, indeed, UMO’s repertory contains hundreds of works composed specifically for the orchestra. More than 100 musicians, composers, conductors and soloists collaborate with the orchestra annually, making UMO the most significant employer in the field of Finnish jazz. UMO also plays the important role of a practical school for promising young talents: almost all significant Finnish jazz artists have worked with the orchestra at some point of their career.
The orchestra’s 40-year history contains a vast number of unforgettable concerts, tours around the world, a Grammy nomination, legendary club venue in the Asematunneli and Pursimiehenkatu, Helsinki, and dozens of albums. Over the years, UMO has collaborated with a number of the brightest stars in the history of jazz, including Dizzy Gillespie, Gil Evans, Michael Brecker, John Scofield, Natalie Cole and Manhattan Transfer.