2.6.2026
Claude Tchamitchian Poetic Power and Beiggja to perform at the Tampere Jazz Happening
The 45th edition of the international Tampere Jazz Happening, which will be held from 29 October to 1 November 2026, offers the first taste of a festival programme put together by its new Artistic Director, Martyna van Nieuwland.
The concerts now being announced are collaborative projects with festival partners. Claude Tchamitchian Poetic Power will take the stage in Tampere for the 30th anniversary of the Vapaat äänet, and Beiggja will join the festival in cooperation with Jazz City Turku.
Poetic Power is an ensemble formed by veteran bassist and composer, Claude Tchamitchian, in 2019. Tchamitchian is accompanied by big players on the French jazz scene, saxophonist Christophe Monniot and drummer Eric Echampard.
Tchamitchian’s eventful voyage to Finland is intertwined with the journey begun by Charles Gil 30 years ago on tours organised by Vapaat äänet. Tchamitchian joined the first Vapaat äänet (Free Voices / Free Sounds) tour in November 1996 with the Yves Robert Quartet on a joint tour with the Norwegian-Finnish ensemble, Rollin’ Thunder. Since then, he has performed in Finland over the years with several different groups, not to mention at the Tampere in Jazz Happening in 2000 and 2011.
In October 2026, Claude Tchamitchian will be touring the length and breadth of Finland, performing solo and holding master classes along the way in the Baltic countries. His solo piece In Spirit is dedicated to the famous bassist Jean-Francois Jenny-Clarke, and he will be accompanied by one of Jenny-Clarke’s contrabassists. He will also be playing this bass at Pakkahuone on 1 November 2026.
On the same day, Tampere Jazz Happening will also host the new Norwegian-Dutch ensemble Beiggja, with pianist Kjetil Mulelid, saxophonist Kika Sprangers, bassist Mats Eilertsen and drummer Per Oddvar Johansen. The ensemble’s début album Morning was recorded in the middle of a wintry Norwegian forest in early 2024 and released in June 2025. During the same summer, Beiggja toured the Netherlands, selling out venues and garnering a host of critical acclaim. This autumn, Beiggja will be performing not only in Tampere, but also at the Sibelius Museum in Turku as part of the Jazz City Turku autumn lineup.
“This is a year of anniversaries big and small,” explains Martyna van Nieuwland, Artistic Director of Tampere Jazz Happening.
“For me, this marks my first year as successor to Juhamatti Kauppinen. Both the festival and I will be turning 45. The year brings memories and returns to the spotlight as well as world premieres and Finnish debuts. We will also be returning to the newly renovated Pakkahuone. The world around us is not perfect, but, in the words of Henry Threadgill: “Perfect is not interesting”. The 45th edition of the international Tampere Jazz Happening will certainly be interesting. We so look forward to seeing you there!”
The third performer to appear at Pakkahuone on Sunday, 1 November will be announced in September in connection with the publishing of of the entire programme. The festival box office will also open at this time.
The Tampere Jazz Happening will return to the the Tullikamari Cultural Centre in 2026 and will be the first event to be held in the renovated Pakkahuone and Klubi venues. Finnish artists at the festival will primarily perform at Telakka this year, as well.
