Aurora Hentunen’s music contains a lot of references from Northern Jazz and melodies from Scandinavian folk music. Her music has been described as very compositional and the band as distinctive, led by mature young musicians. The band is considered as one of the rising stars in the Northern Jazz scene.

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Iiro Rantala is one of Finland's best known jazz musicians internationally. When his Trio Töykeät was formed in 1988, Rantala concentrated on this group for 18 years. The trio were known for a unique combination of deep musicality and madcap humour, and played over 2,000 shows in forty-five countries. ECHO Jazz award winning Rantala has since then built a succesful solo career and released albums via ACT since 2009.

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Dalindèo is a sextet founded in 2003 and led by composer and guitarist Valtteri Pöyhönen. The group’s unique sound consists of danceable rhythms, strong melodies and an emphasis on the craftsmanship of top musicians. Their fourth album Slavic Souls blends contemporary jazz with Finnish Tango and northern schlager.

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Nikita Rafaelov is a keyboardist-pianist and composer known for his collaborations with artists such as Teppo Mäkynen (on the Atonal Drums project), Markus Perttula, Silva Kallionpää and countless more. Rafaelov released his debut solo ''Spirit of Gaia'' in 2018. In his own works, Rafaelov uses e.g. acoustic and prepared pianos, loopers, synthesizers, electric pianos and samples, creating minimalist, rhythmic and hypnotic compositions. The versatile keyboardist effortlessly cruises through the cool waters of jazz, electro-acoustic music and ambient with been hip-hop, new age and lo-fi aesthetics as added inspiration.

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Kama Kollektiv is an Amsterdam based group formed by Finnish-born vocalist/trumpeter Kirsi-Marja Harju. The band combines the elements of jazz, Nordic folk and indie with poetic lyrics. Kama Kollektiv released their first album “Koti” in 2019. The 2nd album “Toivo” (translates to Hope) released in 2021, strived to bring hope in the midst of pandemic and climate crisis. The 3rd one is named "As if I Lived A Different Life" and released in 2024.

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Bringing together an all-star cast of musicians from the vibrant Helsinki jazz scene the Finnish jazz supergroup Mortality combines the conceptual aesthetic of progressive rock with the harmonic and tonal soundscapes of jazz and jazz improvisation.

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The legendary Finnish pianist/composer Olli Ahvenlahti has returned with his first new jazz work in decades! On his new album "Thinking, Whistling" Ahvenlahti teamed up with the Jaska Lukkarinen Trio, one of the most highly-regarded ensembles in Finnish jazz. From funk-influenced acoustic jazz to heartfelt ballads, the band are delightfully in a world of their own, drawing from Ahvenlahti's effortless pianism and the trios natural swing.

Trumpeter and composer Verneri Pohjola is acknowledged as a jazz star in the making. In June 2017 Pohjola released Pekka, an album that promises to be a defining moment in Finnish culture, reinterpreting the music of Verneri’s late father Pekka Pohjola, the internationally acclaimed and revered prog-rock bassist and composer, through the prism of his son’s unique vision. Pohjola's latest album is a co-operation together with French saxophonist Sylvain Rifflet, released in 2022.

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Njet Njet 9 is a lively "mini big band" – namely a nine-piece – with a cheerful touch to making music. Their music has been called "rich in arrangement, painting vast musical landscapes that range from nostalgic to futuristic". As band leader Ville Kyttälä puts it "Njet Njet 9's music sounds like Zappa and Zawinul are playing tennis with Massive Attack at a Swedish summer cottage". Njet Njet 9 released their third album "III" in 2020 and is continuing their mission to open-mindedly mix genres and not take things too seriously. The line-up consists of Ville Kyttälä (keys), Martti Vesala (trumpet), Mikko Haanpää (trombone), Markus Pajakkala (sax), Ilmari Rönkä (sax), Pekka Seppänen (sax), Veikki Virkajärvi (guitar), Heikki Laine (bass) and Erik Fräki (drums).

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Peela is a jazz-fusion band based in Helsinki. Peela plays energetic music composed by guitarist Johannes Granroth. The band is led by guitarist & composer Johannes Granroth who also writes most of their material. Peela brings influences from jazz, funkrock, pop and neo-soul to a foundation for the musicians to play and improvise with. Peela's music instrumental based, but often features the virtuosic singing of Maja Mannila as well. The band's debut album "Layers" was released in 2018.

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Finnish pianist-composer Frank Carlberg has been active in the New York scene for a long time. As band leader, Carlberg's projects include Frank Carlberg's Word Circus, Tivoli Trio and Frank Carlberg Large Ensemble. In addition, Carlberg has collaborated with e.g. With Steve Lacy, Bob Brookmeyer, Kenny Wheeler and Roswell Rudd. He has composed commissioned pieces for big bands, small ensembles, orchestras and modern dance groups. In addition to playing and composing, Carlberg works as a professor at the New England Conservatory. Carlberg is a founding member of the Douglass Street Music Collective and the founder and executive director of the Red Piano Records label.

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Formed in 2018, The Watercolors is a 7-member jazz ensemble led by oboist Janne Saarinen, interpreting his compositions. With a unique lineup featuring oboe, violin, viola, cello, vibraphone, double bass, and drums, the band creates melodic "jazz watercolors" that blend spontaneous jazz improvisation, rich harmonies, and swinging rhythms with the colorful timbres familiar from classical music as well as influences from Finnish folk music . The Watercolors' musicians are known from groups such as Sointi Jazz Orchestra, Joonas Tuuri Quartet, and Alder Ego.

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Composer and musician Jimi Tenor needs no introduction: after 30 years of career as an established artist, Tenor has redefined his style and sound over and over again and moved from 60s and 70s jazz, psychedelic soul and African funk to techno and experimental rock. Tenor continues to release music in different formats and through different labels at a formidable pace.

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Kaira is a sparse project founded by producer, musician and composer Lauri Kaira, that comes together once a decade, when "the best jazz musicians of Finland join forces to create an album of brand new Finnish jazz as the band KAIRA". Coined as 'the super team of Finnish jazz'" by Finnish media, the 2023 edition of Kaira came out with the album "AIR", a collection of modern mainstream instrumental jazz played by sextet with a strong horn section. The musicians on the album are Markus Niittynen (piano), Heikko Remmel (bass), Jussi Lehtonen (drums), Abdissa Assefa (percussions), Timo Lassy (saxophone, flute), Kalevi Louhivuori (trumpet, flugel horn) and Kasperi Sarikoski (trombone).

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“Quality swinging jazz with a difference!“, as Gilles Peterson calls it. Saxophonist Timo Lassy has cemented his position at the helm of the burgeoning new Finnish jazz scene. He has worked with an international all-star cast ranging from the Italian style-master Nicola Conte to US jazz vocalist José James as well as extending his talents into the art of film-music by composing for the soundtrack of the movie Moomins on the Riviera. Lassy's discography now boasts around a dozen full-length releases as a solo artist an/or with different collaborators and combos.

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Simon Zion is a Finnish-born guitarist, singer, composer, and producer who has spent most of his life in Sweden, where he is known for his success in the local Idols program. Zion and Ville Luukkonen (drums) have joined forces on an intimate acoustic jazz album, offering original and enchanting music that showcases Zion's strong jazz interpretations and reflects the creativity and expressiveness of these talented musicians.

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A newcomer in the Finnish jazz scene, Joonas Tuuri quartet plays the compositions of base player Joonas Tuuri. Their music provides a strong, sensitive interplay and tangible atmospheres taking influence from acts like Wayne Shorter and Chick Corea. Joonas Tuuri Quartet's debut album "Dimensions" was released in 2022. The other members of the band are Ilmari Rönkä (alto sax), Toomas Keski-Säntti (piano) and Anssi Tirkkonen (drums).

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Tunto plays contemporary music of Finnish guitarist Matti Wallenius (RinneRadio, Wimme). So far, Tunto has released the following seven albums: Tunto (2004), Kevyt (2006), Lempi (2009), Huvi (2014), Ilona (2018), Yty (2021) and Huoleton (2024).

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US based Finnish pianist Anni Kiviniemi released her album "Eir" on We Jazz Records in early 2024. The debut record is described as an "introspective, moody, yet swinging trio set", comprising of eight original songs composed by Kiviniemi. Modeled for a classic jazz piano trio, Kiviniemi's music reaches far beyond, bringing together influences from classical music, Norwegian musical tradition and North African music. Her trio features bassist Eero Tikkanen and drummer Hans Hulbaekmo (Gard Nilssen's Supersonic Orchestra, Moskus).

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Finnish-born singer Sanna Ruohoniemi, based in Stockholm, is the latest in a long line of individual Nordic artists and composers melding the open-sky freedom of modern jazz with the rich folk traditions of her homelands. Her album ”Start from Nothing” (2018) was praised by critics, in Sweden and abroad, among others Europe Jazz Media Chart included as one of the best new releases in Europe in November 2018. Ruohoniemi is slowly but surely coming up with her third album.

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Jazz drummer and composer extraordinaire, Teppo Mäkynen, released his acclaimed debut album "Kind Soul" as The Stance Brothers in 2007. At that time, the alias also hosted a live band gathered around the name, that lived a short but intense period of activity. The previous The Stance Brothers release was the vinyl single Minor Minor (2018), followed by the hip hop influenced version of Resolution Blue, a track from the Timo Lassy & Teppo Mäkynen album in 2020.

Josefiina Vannesluoma is a Turku-born jazz singer and composer, known for e.g. vocal group from Signe. His expression includes a diverse interest, from jazz traditions to Brazilian music and from contemporary classical to free improvisation. Mortal Lease, composed of Finland's foremost young jazz musicians, interprets Vannesluoma's compositions to Edith Wharton's poems. Passionate language images spark into symphonic scenes when treated by a jazz band. Flame Jazz Records will release the band's debut album in autumn 2023.

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Saxophonist/composer Mikko Innanen emerged on Nordic avant-garde jazz scene in the late '90s. He studied jazz in both Denmark and Finland, and played all around Europe during the early 2000’s, joining with various Finnish groups, as well as the French outfit Triade. His current bands and projects include Autonomus, Innanen Pasborg Piromalli, Littorina Saxophone Quartet, Plop & Junnu and Gourmet. Although Innanen's playing and composing can be quite cerebral and abstract, he has a definite sense of the blues and isn't avant-garde in an overly confrontational or abrasive way.

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Aarni Häkkinen is a composer, conductor and a trombone player based in Helsinki, Finland. He is known for his work with big bands in all roles and played on a Grammy-nominated big band album "Remembering Bob Freedman" with Ron Carter (2021). As a trombone player Häkkinen has played with the best of the best in Finnish music scene: big bands suchs as UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, Espoo Big Band and Aviapolis Big Band and side by side with musicians such as Jukkis Uotila, Jussi Lehtonen, Jukka Eskola, Kalevi Louhivuori, Kasperi Sarikoski and Mikael Jakobsson. His debut album as a bandleader titled "Aarni Häkkinen Jazz Orchestra" was released on Bopcat Records in 2023.

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Maja Mannila is a young jazz/soul singer, pianist and composer, whose songs are a mix of r'n'b, soul, jazz and gospel music. Raised in a family of musicians, she has a firm grasp on making music, while emphasizing the importance of freedom and fun in creating and playing music. In the future, Mannila aims for recording and international gigs both with a band and as a solo artist. Mannila has been noted by English drummer Richard Spaven and singer Anthony Strong, who have asked her to perform with them. She also plays and sings in Iiro Rantala's new trio and in the up-and-coming band Peela.

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For a bassless trio, VIRTA create a huge soundscape; expressive, avant garde & eminently fresh with an occasional nod to fellow Nordic sonic experimenters Nils Petter Molvaer & Jaga Jazzist. Formed in 2011, their playing is characterized by skillful musicianship and inventive use of electronic effects, with occasional atmospheric vocals. Virta also has a reputation as a fierce live ensemble.

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Tuomo Uusitalo is an award-winning pianist, composer, arranger and educator. Having released three albums as a leader, and appearing on numerous albums as a sideman, he has established himself in the New York jazz scene, and continues touring internationally both as a leader as well as sideman.

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Freezer was formed, when woodwind specialist Max Zenger and jazz ensemble Fredator met during a jam. True to their name, Freezer insists on playing 'chillingly swinging jazz'. Their debut single, "Bad Ice Cream", utilises old-school video game sounds, which collide with furiously progressive soundscapes created by Fredator. The trio's debut album "Icebreaker" wille be released later in 2023 through Flame Jazz Records, the record company founded by Freezer members Jussi Fredriksson and Max Zenger.

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Markus Venehsalo and his band Mavon Safia released their debut album "Introlation" in late 2023. Featuring legendary jazz fusion guitarist Frank Gambale (Chick Corea, Return to Forever etc.) and one of the most on-demand session players and cultural influencers in Finland, Mikko Kosonen, the debut by this seriously shredding quartet has influences ranging from metal to jazz fusion, prog to surf rock and funk to traditional Finnish dance music.

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