15.00

Jazz Talk

Panel discussion: Jazz in Finland Now and in the Future

During the 25th anniversary year of Jazz-Espa, the Finnish Jazz Federation takes a head start towards Jazz Finland 100 anniversary. The year 1926 is symbolically considered the year when jazz landed in Finland, and in 2026, Jazz Finland 100 anniversary celebration will be held! Since this celebratory year is getting closer, it is a great time to discuss about the current state of Finnish jazz. How has the field developed, especially in recent decades, and what does it look forward to in the future?

Panelists:

Kaisa Rönkkö (Director, Taike)
Nasima Razmyar (Member of Parliament)
Jussi Fredriksson (Executive Director, Jazz City Turku; Musician)
Sami Linna (Lecturer, Deputy Director of Jazz Studies Program, Sibelius Academy)
Olli Ahvenlahti (Musician)
Pekka Laine (Journalist, Documentary Filmmaker, YLE)

Discussion Moderator: Katri Kallionpää (Helsingin Sanomat)

Free entry. The discussion will be held in Finnish.

16.00

Juho Valjakka Trio

Pianist Juho Valjakka formed his first piano trio in 2010, and since then, he has focused on the trio format in his artistic work. The current lineup, established in 2018 with bassist Oskari Siirtola and drummer Anssi Tirkkonen, represents Valjakka's current vision of the piano trio, drawing from its history while reaching towards the future. The band released their debut album, "Liminal Spaces" (Artie Music), in May 2022, which was later nominated for an Emma Award in the Jazz category.

Juho Valjakka – piano
Oskari Siirtola – bass
Anssi Tirkkonen – drums

Picture: Teemu Mattsson

17.30

Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui

Winner of the 2023 Jazz Emma Award, Selma Savolainen brings her band Horror Vacui to Jazz-Espa. Known for her adventurous approach to music and impressive vocal abilities, Savolainen has been praised in Helsingin Sanomat for elevating Finnish vocal jazz to new heights. Her English-language compositions blend elements of modern jazz with alternative singer-songwriter styles.

The British label Whirlwind Recordings released the debut album "Horror Vacui" in May 2023. Savolainen composed and arranged the music specifically for the sextet of musicians. In reference to the name of the album, the songs explore the fear of emptiness, letting go, and unexpected discoveries.

Selma Savolainen – vocals
Tomi Nikku – trumpet
Max Zenger – clarinets
Toomas Keski-Säntti – piano
Eero Tikkanen – bass
Okko Saastamoinen – drums

Picture: Severi Uusitalo

13.00

Pauli Lyytinen Solo

Saxophonist Pauli Lyytinen releases his second solo album on We Jazz label in September 2024. Since 2012, Lyytinen's solo project has pushed the boundaries of saxophone performance, transforming the instrument into a bass, harmony, and melodic instrument, often incorporating rhythmic elements. His innovative approach creates entire musical worlds, sometimes enhanced with effects, other times purely acoustic. The new album's creation has been a lengthy process, including performances and recordings with swans and nightingales.

Pauli Lyytinen is an eclectic musician and composer, particularly active in jazz, experimental, electroacoustic, and contemporary music. His active ensembles include Pauli Lyytinen Solo, Pauli Lyytinen & Niillas Holmberg, Pauli Lyytinen Rabbit Hole (FI/NO/CH), Magnetia Orkesteri, Elifantree, and Sole Azul.

Pauli Lyytinen - Tenor, alto, and soprano saxophones, live electronics, mellotron

Picture: Tero Ahonen

16.00

Kadi Vija Key Project

The Kadi Vija Key Project is an exceptional and emotionally evocative ensemble formed around Finnish-Estonian jazz vocalist Kadi Vija. Having released two albums, the ensemble's unique instrumentation creates a soft yet captivating sound that remains in the listener's mind, leaving them hungry for more. Bandleader and composer Kadi Vija is renowned for her remarkable improvisational skills and ability to use her voice instrumentally. The quartet consists of top-tier Finnish jazz musicians: Max Zenger on bass clarinet, Tuomo Dahlblom on guitar, and Tuomas Timonen on drums.

Kadi Vija – vocals
Max Zenger – bass clarinet
Tuomo Dahlblom – guitar
Tuomas Timonen – drums

Picture: Teemu Mattsson

17.30

Freezer

In the music composed by Max Zenger and jazz lizard Fredator, there's a blend of intensely flowing groove, beautiful tones of woodwinds, and a colorful onslaught of synthesizers. Freezer, even nominated for the 2023 Jazz Emma Award, has developed a distinctive sound creatively utilizing the possibilities of an exceptional lineup. Mikael Myrskog's keyboards and Zenger's low woodwinds seamlessly shift between the roles of bassist and soloist, while Fredator complements the wind phrases with finely tuned drums. Completing the ensemble in the live setup is the cool guitarist Samuli Kivelä.

Max Zenger – woodwinds
Mikael Myrskog – keyboards
Samuli Kivelä – guitar
Fredator – drums

Picture: Aleks Talve

13.00

Kirke Karja & Mikko Innanen

Estonian pianist Kirke Karja and Finnish saxophonist Mikko Innanen are among the leading jazz musicians of their generations in their home countries.

Karja is known for her unique harmonic musical language and experimental, uncompromising performances. Her music, sometimes dark in tone, incorporates influences from contemporary music. She leads several ensembles and is best known for her trio Karja/Renard/Wandinger. As a solo pianist, she has performed Paul Hindemith's masterpiece "Ludus Tonalis," blending original material with free improvisation. In her own compositions, Karja uses similar tools to Hindemith. One of her compositions is a piano concerto that she has performed with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra.

Innanen is a versatile and open-minded artist who moves smoothly from freely improvised music to fully composed pieces, from intimate solos and duos to large orchestras. With a long international career, Innanen has performed in 38 countries across five continents, and his wide-ranging playing and compositions have been recorded on nearly 80 released albums.

Karja and Innanen met in 2018 while playing in a band called Captain Kirke and the Klingos. Since then, they have performed together in trios with, for example, guitarist Jaak Sooäär and drummer Karl-Juhan Laanesaar. This duo promises exciting and boundary-breaking collaborations!

Kirke Karja - piano
Mikko Innanen - saxophones

The concert is organized in collaboration with the Embassy of Estonia in Helsinki.

Pictures: Karja: Sohvi Viik, Innanen: Kaisa Rautaheimo, Duo: Sakari Puhakka

16.00

Sanna Ruohoniemi

Based in Stockholm, artist and composer Sanna Ruohoniemi is making a name for herself internationally, standing out in the jazz world with her skillful vocal techniques and versatile compositions. She released her new album "Let Everything Happen" last February. The album, her third, is a continuation of the previous "Start from Nothing," which was praised by Europe Jazz Media Chart as one of Europe's finest music releases in November 2018.

Ruohoniemi's compositions boldly navigate the world of modern jazz, firmly anchored in history. The album features everything from swing and grooving bebop to folk melodies and tango. In addition, there are insightful lyrics in multiple languages.

Sanna Ruohoniemi - vocals and compositions
Fredrik Lindborg - saxophones and bass clarinet
Joonas Haavisto - piano
Lars Ekman - double bass
Daniel Olsson – drums

Picture: Orlando Boström

17.30

Puhti Trio

PUHTI Trio is a unique chamber ensemble in the Finnish music scene, consisting of two woodwind musicians and a cellist. The musicians have a strong background in jazz, improvised music, and classical music. Pepa Päivinen and Jorma Tapio have a shared history dating back to the legendary Edward Vesala's Sound & Fury band from the 1980s. The trio's music is rich and interesting, ranging from carefully composed pieces to intuitive improvisation. The compositions are almost entirely the ensemble's own production. The various wind instruments create a rich and dynamic sound.

Pepa Päivinen – saxophones, flute
Juho Kanervo - cello
Jorma Tapio – saxophones, flutes

Picture: Jouko Vatanen

13.00

Wishamalii

This brand new ensemble is set up by three adventurous musicians from very different geological and musical backgrounds. With only a few concerts behind, the trio already sounds like a well-established, solid unit, gaining a lot of wow-type attention for its totally unique music, its charming spirit on stage, and for the pianist’s revolutionary invention – the Maqiano™ Microtuning System, that allows him to play the Arabic maqamat on acoustic piano! The name Wishamalii refers to the Nordic way of interpreting the Arab-Andalusian Muwashah-songs, yet most of its repertoire is original music specially written for this band. German label Nordic Notes will release their debut album ”Al-Bahr” in September 2024.

Nemat Battah (PS) – Voice & Oud
Kari Ikonen – Piano w. Maqiano™ Microtuning System, Moog Synthesizer
Abdissa Assefa – Percussion

Picture: Anna-Maria Viksten

16.00

Emmi U. Trio

Emmi U. Trio is a new formation led by jazz pianist, composer, and vocalist Emmi Uimonen, who composed mostly vocal songs for her album "Junassa," released in 2023 (Eclipse Music). The album builds a bridge between Nordic jazz, Finnish psychedelic folk, and Brazilian rhythmic music.

The intimate trio format allows space for vocals and lyrics in Finnish, which are reflecting longing for the end of wars, defending equality and the inviolability of self-determination, and the endless incompleteness of life.

Emmi Uimonen – piano and vocals
Tuomas Talvi – bass
Chico Matada – drums

Picture: Aleksi Kallioja

17.30

Janne Huttunen Quintet

Saxophonist Janne Huttunen is known as a versatile musician, producer, and songwriter. Huttunen released his second jazz album, "Two Shadows of You," in the spring of 2023, and both on the album and live at Jazz-Espa, audiences will hear Finland's jazz elite. The album's compositions are characterized by stylishly catchy and easily approachable melodies, swinging rhythms, and cinematic tones.

Janne Huttunen – saxophones
Kalevi Louhivuori – trumpet
Henri Mäntylä – piano
Ville Herrala – bass
Jaska Lukkarinen – drums

Picture: Marek Sabogal

16.00

Joonatan Henriksson Quintet

Joonatan Henriksson is an 18-year-old clarinetist and pianist who has studied at the youth department of the Sibelius Academy since 2018 and has performed with international names such as Godwin Louis and Dana Hall. In 2023, Henriksson won the Taimi Award, granted for the first time by the Finnish Jazz Federation to a young jazz musician passionately developing their own musical expression.

Henriksson's own quintet, featuring young stars from the Finnish jazz scene, will be performing at Jazz-Espa.The quintet's repertoire consists of the members' original compositions, which aim to sophisticatedly reflect the band's musical guidelines without forgetting the tradition of jazz music.

Joonatan Henriksson – clarinet
Eero Dunkel – guitar
Pessi Pohjola – piano
Otso Huhtala – double bass
Kasper Halttunen – drums

The concert is organized in collaboration with the jazz department of the Sibelius Academy, University of the Arts Helsinki.

Picture: Maarit Kytöharju

17.30

Sigurdur Rögnvaldsson Lúna

In November 2023, Icelandic guitarist Sigurdur Rögnvaldsson unveiled his latest solo album Lúna, featuring a newly formed quartet based in Helsinki, Finland. The music is a mixture of uplifting melodies, compelling grooves, and captivating improvisations, rooted in the ethos of 70s jazz-rock. Rögnvaldsson has earlier released two albums with his Dark Forest ensemble. He plays with various artists in Finland such as Jori Huhtala's Talambo, Anni Elif, Aili Järvelä, Raoul Björkenheim, Tatu Rönkkö and Pauli Lyytinen. 

Sigurdur Rögnvaldsson (IS) - Electric Guitar  
Tuomas A. Turunen - Rhodes and Synthesizers  
Jori Huhtala - Electric Bass  
Tatu Rönkkö - Drums 

Picture: Jori Huhtala

14.00

Screaming Jay & The Bones

Screaming Jay & The Bones has gained a reputation as an energetic phenomenon at festivals and club gigs alike, representing a family-friendly program at Jazz-Espa.

The band's lineup includes top names in Finnish jazz and rhythm & blues, known from various contexts. The band's repertoire consists mainly of 1950s rhythm & blues, interspersed with amazing interpretations of jazz classics spiced up with wild scat solos. In its day, this music was the hit material of the time.

The band's authentic and immediate approach tempts the audience to dance, sing, and enjoy the music as if they were at a jazz party in the 1950s!

Jay Kortehisto - vocals & trombone
Lasse Sirkko - bass
Valtteri Pöyhönen - guitar
Thomas Rönnholm – drums
Pope Puolitaival – saxophone

The concert is organized in collaboration with Concert Centre Finland.

Picture: Milka Alanen