Jazz Finland Live

Sylvain Darrifourcq, Verneri Pohjola and Eero Tikkanen

Very special trio for this Jazz Connective meeting in Helsinki, between french drummer Sylvain Darrifourcq and finnish trumepeter Verneri Pohjola, along with finnish bass player Eero Tikkanen. Three major artists of the european scene to be discover as a trio.

Sylvain Darrifourcq: drums

Percussionist, improviser and composer, Sylvain Darrifourcq (born in 1979) studied classical percussion. He chose the drums late in his career and discovered rock, jazz and improvised music. A well-known figure from a generation of improvisers intrigued by boundaries, he is a musician in high demand. He has collaborated with several French, European and American personalities such as: Joëlle Léandre, Tony Malaby, Michel Portal, Louis Sclavis, Marc Ducret, Andrea Parkins, Aksoh S, Kit Downes, etc. In 2009, he won a “Victoire du Jazz” with Emile Parisien Quartet. He was the quartet’s drummer for more than 10 years.

His human and musical encounters developed his taste for contemporary forms of creation and led him to create his own festival with the singer and bass player Elise Dabrowski: the DA festival. Fascinated by temporality, space and breaking points in music, he has been creating a very personal language built around the concepts of “multi-speed” and “physiquality”. His research has brought him to collaborate with choreographers, dancers, video-makers and scenographers. In addition to his personal projects, MILESDAVISQUINTET!, IN LOVE WITH and TENDIMITE, he works closely with the composer Guillaume Hermen (LE PANTIN, DANS L’ENTRE with the philharmonic orchestra of Radio France conducted by Pierre André Valade).

Eero Tikkanen: double bass

Bassist Eero Tikkanen (b. 1987) has become a sought-after bass player in the field of Finnish jazz. The versatility of the young bassist stretches from danceable groove to projects of free jazz. He is known as a charismatic and expressive live performer.

Currently, Tikkanen plays in the ranks of such groups as Mopo, The Mystic Revelation of Teppo Repo, Mikko Innanen 10+, Ville Vokkolainen & Kusipäät and Magnetia Orkesteri and in the band of folk artist Joose Keskitalo. In addition to his career as a jazz artist, Tikkanen is the driving force behind Keuruu Music Camp for children and youngsters and the joint festival, Soiton paikka.

Verneri Pohjola: trumpet

The thirty six year-old trumpeter and composer from Helsinki, Finland has been in the international spotlight for the past few years, and is acknowledged as a jazz star in the making. Having released his two previous albums on the German ACT label to huge critical acclaim, including a five star review from The Guardian, he’s now set to fulfil his enormous creative potential.

Son of the virtuoso bass guitarist Pekka Pohjola, Verneri first came to prominence as leader of Ilmiliekki Quartet, a band that won numerous accolades including the prestigious Teosto Award for original composition. Pohjola soon emerged as a rising star on the Finnish scene, picking up the coveted gong for Musician of the Year at the 2004 Pori Jazz Festival.

As is the case with many great horn players, Pohjola has a distinctive tone, which has a deeply affecting purity and lyricism. His highly melodic improvising is matched by personal compositions marked by memorable and imaginative themes that steer clear of any hackneyed notion of ‘Nordic jazz.’A truly progressive artist with a firm grip on popular culture, Verneri Pohjola is ready to confirm that he is one of the most exciting and original artists of his generation.

Joanna Duda trio

Joanna Duda composes music with analogue and contemporary techniques. Plays acoustic (mostly piano) and electronic instruments (computer, workstations, beatmachines), planting and growing them into multiplied layers consist of one texture. As a follower of all-embracing art form and synthesis of arts and science, she also constructs installations. In her projects she seeks for absolute music communication and melting of personalities involved in musical narration.

Joanna Duda formed her trio in 2018. After performing in Poland, Germany and Canada the band will make it first finnish appearance at Jazz Connective.

Joanna Duda: piano, electronics
Sławomir Koryzno: drums
Maxymilian Mucha: double bass

Tickets: 20/18 €

The concert is supported by City of Helsinki and Creative Europe Programme of the European Union

Open event

Jazz guitarist Kari Antila (BE) and New New Trio on tour in October Two Finns, Smalls Jazz Club in New York City 2018, waiting in a line. What are the odds to meet in these circumstances! From this point of view, they started their collaboration. Sometimes life can guide us to directions we can't foresee. After randomly meeting in a line of Smalls Jazz Club and getting to know each other over a cold beer, they noticed sharing common thoughts in life and art. Three weeks from that, they played their first gig together at Spectrum, Brooklyn NYC. "I remember my exact feeling when I met Tuomo at the very first time. I've had a feeling that we have been friends from the childhood or something. We shared a common thoughts in life and being a musician. After to our first playing session I felt that we have to continue this beautiful journey together somehow, says Tomi" New New Trio is co-lead by New York-based pianist Tuomo Uusitalo and drummer Tomi Kämäräinen, who currently resides in Denmark. The group performs original music from the band members, influenced by nordic culture and music, as well as being rooted in jazz tradition. New New Trio will be collaborating with guitarist Kari Antila in October 2019, touring in Finland, Estonia and Latvia. On this tour you can also hear New York-based bassist Kaisa Mäensivu. Kaisa is known from groups such as Kaisa's Machine, Signe, also she was the recipient of the 2018 award 'Pori Jazz Rising Star'. In continuation of the first gig, New New Trio plays a tour in October 2019 in Finland, Estonia and Latvia between 23-30.10.2019.

Tour:
Wed 23.10. Pori, Validi Karkia Klubi
Thu 24.10. Salo, Bar Bizarre
Fri 25.10. Latvia, Trompete
Sat 26.10. Tallinn, Philly Joes’s
Sun 27.10. Helsinki, Tenho Restobar
Mon 28.10. Turku, Ricabar
Tue 29.10. Kajaani, Kouta-Sali
Wed 30.10. Hämeenlinna, Suistoklubi

More about New New Trio here: 
https://tomikomppi.wixsite.com/newnewtrio
www.tomikamarainen.com
www.tuomouusitalo.com
www.kaisamaensivu.com
www.kariantila.com

Open event