Silva Kallionpää Quartet | Teemu Kekkonen Trio | Mikko Innasen uusi kvintetti – Jazz-Espa

Jazz-Espa is a rare treat even on an international level: this number of free concerts by such high-level artists in the heart of a city can’t be found anywhere else!

The festival features 17 jazz acts, both experimental styles and traditional sounds.

Thursday 3 August 2023

13.00 | Silva Kallionpää Quartet
Founded in 2017 in Helsinki, Silva Kallionpää Quartet is not afraid of defying the predefined frames. The group's bold style and unique sound strike listeners of all backgrounds. The individual voices of four of the top musicians in Finland come together in a fresh manner, yet in a spirit and recognition of jazz tradition. Communicative group playing is framed by unconventional compositions that sometimes take surprising turns. The group’s musical story takes audience through a spectrum of ambiances and gets new twists in each performance.

Since the beginning of her musical career, violinist Silva Kallionpää has been digging into improvisation especially in the context of jazz music that she holds close to her heart. Yet she keeps curiously crossing predefined frames and constantly seeking new ways of expression in aspiration of artistic growth. Her candid views as well as influences from modern jazz, artpop and electronic music manifest in her composing and playing. Silva Kallionpää Quartet's debut album Unadaptable was released by Eclipse Music on 15.04.2022. The album gained a positive reception and ever since the group has been arousing interest not only in Finland, but also among international jazz community.

Max Zenger – alto saxophone, Héctor Lepe – guitar, Juuso Rinta – double bass, Teemu Mustonen – drums

16.00 | Teemu Kekkonen Trio
Jazz pianist and composer Teemu Kekkonen is a rising star at the European jazz scene. His musical trademarks include reflective compositions, cinematic harmonies, meditative groove and familiar-sounding melodies. At Jazz-Espa, Teemu Kekkonen Trio will present music from the pianist’s debut album Here/There. The album was composed during the past ten years, its compositions inspired by real life stories and moods.

A recent graduate of the esteemed Amsterdam Conservatorium, Kekkonen serves his charming and sensitive trio music with a Nordic, melodic style. A wide range of background influences gives this trio a truly original sound, managing to be inspiring and calming at the same time.

Teemu Kekkonen – piano, Mikael Saastamoinen – basso, Roope Kantonen – rummut

17.30 | Mikko Innasen uusi kvintetti
Formed in 2022, saxophonist Mikko Innanen’s new quintet combines contemporary Finnish poetry with contemporary jazz. The quintet performs Innanen’s original compositions, the majority of which are set to Outi-Illuusia Parviainen’s yet-unpublished lyrics. In the ensemble’s music, jazz represents an attitude more than anything else: how, instead of what.

Two quintet members, Innanen and drummer Teppo Mäkynen, have been steady figures in the Finnish jazz scene since the nineties, whereas bassist Eero Seppä, vocalist Selma Savolainen and vibraphonist Mikko Antila represent the younger generation.

Mikko Innanen – sax, Selma Savolainen – vocals, Mikko Antila – vibraphone, Eero Seppä – bass, Teppo Mäkynen – drums