Tampere Jazz Happening is Festival of the Year 2012. The title was granted by Finland Festivals, a collaboration forum for Finnish cultural events. The choice was argued with Happening’s role in enriching the Finnish jazz scene.
The 31st Happening will present a total of 26 acts, of which 18 are international.
The programme sets the stage for a balance of old school veterans and upcoming talents of the future.
Pianist Vijay Iyer is one of the hottest names in jazz. In this year’s DownBeat Critics Poll he set a new record by winning five categories.
Virtuoso trumpeter Ibrahim Maalouf utilizes the musical traditions of his native Lebanon. Ethnic influences are also vital to the compositions of percussionist Adam Rudolph.
Master improviser John Scofield will be seen in Tampere for the first time in a decade. The Jazz Passengers will also return to the city after a 20 year absence to promote their new album Reunited.
Saxophonist Peter Brötzmann and his Chicago Tentet will bring their autumn tour also to Tampere. The Tentet experiments on the borderlines of free expression. The Guggenheim Fellowship grantee Gerry Hemingway and his quintet will play material from their 2011 album Riptide.
The weekend programming will reach over genre borders to Balkan and afrobeat rhythms: the Serbian brass band Boban and Marko Marković Orchestra and Ebo Taylor are pioneers of their respective genres.
The winner of the Finnish finals of Young Nordic Jazz Comets 2011, Mopo, oozes youthful energy. The new Slo Motive ensemble consists of vocalist Sanni Orasmaa, keyboardist Kari Ikonen and percussionist Mamba Assefa.
Jorma Tapio, famous from the legendary Sound & Fury, will perform with his new trio Kaski. Tampere-based Black Motor will feature guest saxophonist Mikko Innanen.
Enquiries and press materials:
Emmi Pääkkönen, PR Coordinator
emmi.paakkonen[at]tampere[dot]fi, tel. +358 40 800 4361