Åland Sea Jazz full program is out!

20.5.2022

Organized now for the second time, Åland Sea Jazz brings music lovers to Mariehamn in August to enjoy high-class Nordic program. The event culminates the Archipelago Sea Jazz festival series. Åland Sea Jazz starts on Friday, August 5 at Bio Savoy with Ostrobothnia Jazz Sextet and Sarpila Pyysalo Bounce. Saturday will be spent enjoying performances by singer star Aili Ikonen and piano virtuoso Vladimir Shafranov with their ensembles at Alandica Culture & Congress Centre.

Opening enseble for festival Friday, Ostrobothnia Jazz Sextet, was founded in 2013 and have their roots in the 1960s jazz tradition. The group’s first album Hotel Astor is based on Argentinean musician-composer Astor Piazzolla’s music. Released last fall, De bergtagna album’s material got inspiration from folk music tradition of the coastal area. Middle Age ballads, tunes and traditional Nordic folk dance music gets a new form with the band’s jazzy touch. Compositions are made by the band’s pianist Ralf Nyqvist. 

Jazz virtuosos, clarinetist Antti Sarpila and vibraphonist Severi Pyysalo combine forces in a new Sarpila Pyysalo Bounce group together with Filemon Von Numers on double bass and founding member of Åland Sea Jazz, Jussi Fredriksson on drums. These musicians represent different generations and take on Sarpila’s and Pyysalo’s compositions as well as evergreen jazz classics. The sparkly and effortless spirit of this quartet is certain to catch the audience as the masterful swing fills Bio Savoy. As an interesting detail from Finnish jazz history: Antti Sarpila was Severi Pyysalo’s first employer! 

Festival Saturday will be started by master pianist Vladimir “Vova” Shafranov with jazz professor Jukkis Uotila and Swedish bass player Hans Backenrothin as guest artists. The second star of the evening is one of Finland’s top singers, scat specialist Aili Ikonen with her marvelous six-member ensemble. Together they honor the jazz history’s biggest sing star, Ella Fitzgerald.

Each festival day continues until late evening at hotel Arkipelag’s free jam sessions, where local players get to improvise with the festival artists. 

Åland Sea Jazz is one of four festivals in the Archipelago Sea Jazz series, including also Baltic Jazz, Korpo Sea Jazz and Turku Sea Jazz. You can support the work of the John Nurminen Foundation when purchasing tickets at Tiketti.