The UMO Helsinki Ensembles, a small ensemble made up of musicians from the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, will play six small ensemble concerts in Helsinki libraries from Mon 28 to Wed 30 April 2025. The library tour is part of UMO’s outreach work and the concerts are free of charge. At the end of the concerts, the public will have the opportunity to ask the musicians questions.
UMO Helsinki Ensemble: Greetings from New Orleans
Monday 28th of April at 12 PM Lauttasaari Library, Helsinki
In this Concert UMO Helsinki Ensemble performs classics from the birthplace of jazz music, New Orleans. In the 19th century, the Louisiana port city was a melting pot of cultures, where the heritage of European classical music, African and Caribbean rhythms and the mainstream American music of the time began to merge. The result was a new musical trend whose influence extends to popular music today. Along with ragtime, blues, spirituals and marches, a style called “jass music” was born, which eventually evolved into the genre we know today as jazz.The concert will feature early 20th century classics from New Orleans jazz pioneers such as King Oliver’s Snake Rag, Jelly Roll Morton’s Black Bottom Stomp and Louis Armstrong’s Potato Head Blues.The concert’s repertoire is designed by trombonist Kasperi Sarikoski, who also conducts the ensemble.
Line-up:
Kasperi Sarikoski, trombone and ensemble leader
Timo Paasonen, trumpet and cornet
Mikko Mäkinen, clarinet
Kirmo Lintinen, piano
Kenneth Ojutkangas, sousaphone
Markus Ketola, drums
UMO Helsinki Ensemble & Annimaria Rinne: Great American Songbook
Monday 28th of April at 4 PM Kontula Library, Helsinki
Singer Annimaria Rinne and the UMO Helsinki Ensemble take an open-minded approach to the verses of the “Great American Songbook” – the popular Broadway and Hollywood film scores of the 1920s and 1950s. More and less heard musical classics will be performed in elegant arrangements. Annimaria Rinne is a Helsinki-based singer who moves casually between jazz and popular music. Rinne has performed as a soloist with the Helsinki City Orchestra, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra and Pori Sinfonietta, among others. The UMO Helsinki Ensemble is a smaller ensemble formed from the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, whose musicians have extensive careers both in the ranks of UMO and in numerous projects of their own. The concert programme has been designed by trumpeter Tero Saarti, who also conducts the ensemble.
Line-up:
Tero Saarti, trumpet and ensemble leader
Annimaria Rinne, vocals
Manuel Dunkel, saxophone
Kirmo Lintinen, piano
Juho Kivivuori, bass
Markus Ketola, drums
UMO Helsinki Ensemble: Joy Cannon
Tuesday 29th of April at 12 PM Paloheinä Library, Helsinki
UMO Helsinki Ensemble performs the most famous songs of Cannonball Adderley (USA 1926-1975), from joyful and bluesy hard bop to soul jazz classics. From Adderley’s palette, the concert will include the true soul jazz anthem Mercy, Mercy, Mercy, the elegant swing classic Jeannine and one of the most memorable blues-jazz themes, Work Song. The concert’s repertoire is designed by saxophonist Jouni Järvelä, who also conducts the ensemble.
Line-up:
Jouni Järvelä, saxophone and ensemble leader
Mikko Pettinen, trumpet
Kirmo Lintinen, piano
Ville Herrala, bass
Markus Ketola, drums
UMO Helsinki Ensemble: A journey through the history of jazz music
Tuesday 29th of April at 4 PM Malminkartano Library, Helsinki
The UMO Helsinki Ensemble takes you on a journey through the history of jazz music, starting from New Orleans 100 years ago, through the danceable swing of the 1930s, to New York’s bustling 52nd Street and finally to more modern R’n’B-influenced tunes. Come and discover the birth and evolution of jazz music! The UMO Helsinki Ensemble is a smaller ensemble formed from the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, whose musicians have extensive careers both in UMO and in numerous projects of their own.
Line-up:
Teemu Mattsson, trumpet and ensemble leader
Olli Ojajärvi, woodwinds
Pekka Laukkanen, trombone
Kirmo Lintinen, piano
Ville Herrala, bass
Markus Ketola, drums
UMO Helsinki Ensemble: Max Zenger & Héctor Lepe
Wed 30th of April at 12 PM Jakomäki Library, Helsinki
Wed 30th of April at 3 PM Munkkiniemi Library, Helsinki
UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra saxophonist Max Zenger and guitarist Héctor Lepe will play jazz and bossa nova standards, where the moods and themes of the songs are directly or imaginatively related to both flora and fauna. Both musicians will also perform their own compositions.
Line-up:
Max Zenger, woodwinds
Héctor Lepe, guitar
Article picture: Juho Liukkonen