Finnish Jazz Federation develops the sustainability of touring concepts. During fall 2022, we study the emissions of seven differently produced tours, and collect data about their impacts and user experiences. The sixth of the pilot tours sees guitarist Varre Vartiainen and his quartet to travel by train to play Almost Standards in six cities across Finland.
Guitarist, composer Varre Vartiainen is known from the ranks of e.g. the Finnish UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra and Leningrad Cowboys, and the lineups of the international stars like Angelique Kidjo and Ed Motta. For his latest project, he has put together an all-star ensemble that includes some of the most skilled Finnish jazzers, and a repertoire of original compositions that revamp some of the most loved jazz standards.
The Almost Standards Live musicians – Vartiainen, saxophonist Joonatan Rautio, drummer Jussi Lehtonen and bassist Timo Hirvonen – travel to six Finnish cities by train. Among others, the destinations include Oulu in the North and Kuopio in the East, and as a cherry on top, the foursome finishes their tour at the prestigious Tampere Jazz Happening.
Varre Vartiainen Almost Standards Live!
Varre Vartiainen – guitar
Joonatan Rautio – saxophone
Timo Hirvonen – bass
Jussi Lehtonen – drums
Severi Pyysalo – vibraphone at the Tampere concert
Concert Dates
Mon 31.10. klo 19.00 Helsinki, Koko Jazz Club
Tue 1.11. klo 19.00, Raahe, Friemanin talo (Rajatsi ry)
Wed 2.11. klo 19.00, Oulu, RioLive (Oulu Music Festival)
Thu 3.11. klo 19, Kuopio, Trattoria Sorrento Wanha Mylly (Kuopio Jazz & Blues ry)
Fri 4.11. klo 20 Jyväskylä, Ravintola Poppari (Jazz Jkl)
Sat 5.11. klo 00.00, Tampere, Telakka (Tampere Jazz Happening / Tampereen Musiikkijuhlat)
The tour is a part of the Finnish Jazz Federation’s Carbon-Neutral Tour Model project in 2022–2023. On this tour, the quartet also maps the carbon footprint of touring as a part of the climate charting of the Finnish live music business.