Jazz Finland Live

Open event

Big Soul With a Tight Groove!

Funky Finns is a brand new Finnish soul band, well known to many for its great line-up and the fantastic songs and videos that were released and produced remotely during the pandemic. During this concert tour, Funky Finns joins forces with the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra and the band’s music is performed for the first time in arrangements for big band. The vocalists are the front men of the band, Mikko Pettinen (also known as a trumpet player in UMO) and Antti Kleemola as well as their guitarist Onni Lonka. The rapper Bentality, who also featured on Funky Finns’ album, brings his own energetic contribution to the concert.

Funky Finns’ music is a combination of soul, funk, pop, afro and jazz. The song lyrics are about important things like anti-racism, equality, the mental health issues of the youth as well as the power of working together. The band’s music has been described as energetic, humane soul. Integral parts of the songs are harmony singing and the horn section, which in this extended orchestration is lusher than ever. Their debut album United Souls was released in the spring 2023 and has received glowing reviews. www.funkyfinns.com

Ed Partyka conducts the concert.

UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra is the only professional orchestra in Finland specialised in jazz and new rhythm-oriented music. The big band of 16 musicians plays about 100 concerts every year in Finland and abroad. The orchestra plays a diverse range of modern music that is on the pulse of the times. The programme consists from jazz to soul and classical music, mixing old and new in surprising way, from children to senior citizens. www.umohelsinki.fi

Open event

Tickets €22.60 / €17.60 (Lippu.fi)

Electronic soundscapes, jazz, and modern concert music blend into a magical experience at the Sid Hille Contemporary Collective's anniversary concert at Temppeliaukio Church on Friday, March 22nd. The concert will also mark the release of the band's second album, Lightyears Ahead.

Composer-pianist Sid Hille leads the Sid Hille Contemporary Collective, which played its inaugural concert at the Temppeliaukio Church in Helsinki on March 22nd, 2014. After an intense two-year period of performances, the group took a creative break, only to return to the scene exactly ten years later on the same day. In addition to this comeback, the concert will also celebrate the release of the album Lightyears Ahead on the same day.

The Sid Hille Contemporary Collective, comprised of four fearless explorers, has found a realm teeming with possibilities in the intersection of jazz and modern concert music, evoking imagery of outer space. Alongside Hille, the collective includes guitarist Teemu Viinikainen, cellist Markus Hohti, and bass clarinetist Heikki Nikula. Together, these highly skilled improvisers guide their audience on a journey beyond the boundaries of style and genre. The captivating performance arises from the chemistry and trust among the musicians, enabling liberated improvisation and taking risks.

Open event

Doors: 19:00
Showtime: 20:00

Iiro Rantala, a prominent Finnish jazz musician, known for his international acclaim, has formed HEL Trio with drummer Anton Eger from Norway and bassist Conor Chaplin from the UK. They are skilled musicians with various musical experiences, and HEL Trio specializes in modern jazz standards by artists such as Dave Grusin, Joe Zawinul, and Jaco Pastorius, along with Rantala's own compositions. Expect captivating ensemble performances and thrilling solos.

Lineup:

Iiro Rantala (piano)
Anton Eger (drums)
Conor Chaplin (bass)

The concert is open for people of all ages.

Open event

Showtime at 19:00, doors open at 18:30.
Tickets are 29€, children 15€.
For reservations, email kukkesand@hotmail.com

Finnish jazz maestro Juhani Aaltonen along with guitarist Raoul Björkenheim return to Pori after a hiatus. This time, they are accompanied by musicians making their debut in Pori.

Indian classical flautist Saurabh Vartak has studied under the renowned master Pt. Hariprasad Chaurasia in India. Saurabh extensively tours internationally, performing solo, collaborating with jazz musicians, and conducting workshops. In 2018, Vartak founded his own Flute Academy, currently with 300 students. Accompanying him on the tabla is Indian master Saleel Tambe.

The musicians will perform at Validi both individually and together, creating a fusion of Finnish jazz and Indian classical music in their improvisations.

Saurabh Vartak: bansuri flute
Saleel Tambe: tabla
Raoul Björkenheim: guitar
Juhani Aaltonen: flute

Open event

Open event