Jazz Finland Live

The Finnish Jazz Federation warmly welcomes you to the 17th Jazz-Espa Festival. The two-week concert series sees twenty Finnish jazz acts entertain music-lovers this summer on the Espa Stage in the Esplanadi Park. All Jazz-Espa concerts are accessible, free of charge and open to all ages. In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Finnish Jazz Federation, Jazz-Espa dresses up to a Jazz Federation's colours and turns up the volume by presenting as many as three large orchestras this year. The crown jewel of these big-band-sized ensembles is of course UMO Jazz Orchestra.

Fri 5th of August at 4pm Alder Ego

Jarno Tikka – sax, Tomi Nikku – tr, Teemu Åkerblom – b, Joonas Leppänen – dr

Alder Ego’s fearless music surfs along the coastline of Leppänen’s compositions and takes swoops in the open ocean of free jazz. The quartet consists of young improv talents and Leppänen has opened the band a broad musical horizon after his years in Berlin and Gothenburg. The music seeks to address bigger pictures and it could be described as communicative, narrative chamber jazz.

Fri 5th of August at 5.30pm Sigurdur Rögnvaldsson´s Dark Forest

Sigurdur Rögnvaldsson – g, Johannes Sarjasto – sax, Eero Tikkanen – b, Ville Pynssi – dr

Dark Forest is a concept band, founded by Sigurdur Rögnvaldsson in 2013 to acquire complete artistic freedom to lead his own group and compose all the music. In October 2015 the band released their debut album Kisima on Sigurdur’s own label. Dark Forest invites the listeners to a journey of atmospheric and progressive jazz with playful rhythms and catchy melodies.

Jazz-Espa, July 25 – Aug 6, 2016

Espa Stage, Esplanadi Park

Concerts start at 4:00PM and 5:30PM every weekday (on Mondays at 4:00PM only). Saturday concerts are held at 3:00PM. 

Jazz-Espa 2016 programme:

Open event

Ilpo Murtojärvi (b. 1954) is a versatile guitarist, composer, arranger and music teacher, hailing from Turku. He has played in various groups in the fields of pop, rock, prog and jazz, at the theatre and on the TV. Having been selected as the Turku Jazz Artist of the Year in 2015, Murtojärvi was inspired to compose new material for his trusted quartet. On the menu at Jazzkukko will be old and new material with plentiful references to the jazz of the 60s and 70s

Ilpo Murtojärvi - guitar
Jusu Heinonen - sax
Vesku Saloranta - bass
Oskar Suksi - drums

Free entry!

Open event

Aili Ikonen & HERD

Aili Ikonen is Finland's leading female vocalist, known from a number of bands and musical projects, including Kvalda, UMO Jazz Orchestra and Don Johnson Big Band. At Jazzkukko, Ikonen will be fronting the trio HERD on a journey to the golden age of Finnish schlager-influenced jazz. The programme includes best-loved evergreens in new, stylish arrangements. HERD have quickly made a name for themselves as one of Finland's freshest young jazz groups. Their CV includes, among others, a first price in the European Jazz Competition, a performance at the North Sea Jazz Festival and their very own club series at the Lavaklubi of the Finnish National Theatre. 

Aili Ikonen, vocals
Panu Savolainen, vibraphone
Tuomas Timonen, drums
Mikko Pellinen, bass

Kari Antila & Peter Hertmans Quartet

Laitilan oma poika Kari Antila ei esittelyä kaipaa. Jazzkukko festivaalin perustaja ja luoja on ehtinyt pitkän uransa aikana asua mm. Belgiassa ja New Yorkissa ja musisoida monilla maailman tärkeimmistä jazz-estradeista useiden kansainvälisesti merkittävien jazzmuusikoiden kanssa.

A Laitila homeboy and the founder of the Jazzkukko, Kari Antila has made a long international career as a jazz guitarist. He has performed with numerous jazz stars at a number of prestigious venues around the world and lived in both Belgium and New York. At this year's Jazzkukko, he will be reuniting with his Belgian colleague Peter Hertmans who is as well-known in his home country as Antila in his own. The winner of several notable awards, Hertmans has collaborated with the likes of  Toots Thielemans, Philip Catherine, Richie Beirach, Billy Hart and Mark Levine.

The concert will also see the pair launch their brand-new collab album. 

Kari Antila, guitar
Peter Hertmans (BEL), guitar
Sal La Rocca (ITA), bass
Lionel Beuwens (BEL), drums

Open event

16:00  Jumpru
Henry O. & Swing Gang
(Henry Ojutkangas, vocals, banjo, guitar / Samu Forsblom, trumpet / Kari Räty, double bass / Mikko Kuusiniemi, guitar)

Rauhala 
18:30 Oulu All Star Big Band feat. Teemu Viinikainen: Tarantino!
Composer-arranger Vellu Halkosalmi has compiled a Tarantono-themed concert for Oulu All Star Big Band and guitar virtuoso Teemu Viinikainen. 
(Oulu All Star Big Band / Vellu Halkosalmi, conductor / Teemu Viinikainen, guitar)

20:15 Paleface Spoken Word Septet
Some of the best Finnish jazzers join forces with pioneering rapper Paleface on a journey to the roots of the rap lyric.
(Karri ”Paleface” Miettinen, rap / Valtteri Pöyhönen, guitar & keys / Jaska Lukkarinen, drums / Ville Herrala, bass / Abdissa ”Mamba” Assefa, percussion / Jukka Eskola, trumpet / Timo Lassy, saxophone)

22:15 TOOT TOOT feat. Seppo Kantonen
TOOT TOOT, formed by guitarist-vocalist Timo Kämäräinen and drummer Olli Krogerus, is a duo that sounds bigger than it seems. At Elojazz these gents will be joined by long-standing keyboardist Seppo Kantonen. 
(Timo Kämäräinen, guitar / Olli Krogerus, drums / Seppo Kantonen, keys)

23:30 Rauhala Hall 
Buba Wii Aa & Petri "Pope" Puolitaival
Organ trio Buba Wii Aa is one of the most promising newcomers of the Finnish jazz scene. Their meandering, narrative music evokes the sunny, cigarette-scented beach boulevards of 1960s San Francisco. 
(Mikael Myrskog, urut / Eero Seppä, kontrabasso / Sami Nummela, rummut)

Late Night Jam Session

Day ticket 39/35 € at the door 44 €
Fri + Sat 70 €

Open event