The Turku-based Flame Jazz concert series launches a new type of concert to present one seminal musician-bandleader’s repertoire extensively in 2015. The multi-award winning Verneri Pohjola, one of the most internationally acclaimed Finnish jazz artists, was selected as the first Flame Jazz Artist, and he will appear in three different concerts during the upcoming year.
Pohjola signed a three-album recording contract with the British label Edition Records recently, and the long-awaited first album of the upcoming trio, entitled Bullhorn, will be out next spring. The album-launching show of Verneri Pohjola Quartet takes place on 6 March at Café Tiljan at Åbo Svenska Teater, and will undoubtedly be one of the highlights of the Flame Jazz 2015 spring season. Pohjola’s first Flame Jazz appearance in 2015, however, occurs already on 31 January on the Flame Jazz Cruise, where he will be seen perform solo on the return voyage. The concerts of the autumn season will be announced in the spring.
In addition to singling out the Artist of the Year, Flame Jazz rewarded the Liekittäjä of 2014, or the individual who had contributed to the local jazz culture in a significant way. The prize, 500 €, was given to photographer Olli Sulin – a familiar Flame Jazz face since 2011, the year of foundation of the concert series. Sulin is known as a skilled and passionate professional, who was seen by the jury to play a major part in documenting the local jazz life and in increasing its national visibility.
Both recognitions were announced on Saturday 20 December, at the closing concert of the year 2014, which took place at Turku’s Logomo.