Tampere Jazz Happening Opens with New Sounds from the Netherlands

The theme country of the 45th international Tampere Jazz Happening will be the Netherlands. In particular, Dutch jazz will be heard at the opening concert in Klubi on Thursday but also at the weekend's international concerts in Pakkahuone.

The opening concert’s programme will introduce the audience to new, rising names and feature three groups united by an open-minded combination of electronic music and jazz. The first act of the evening will be Amsterdam-based Neon River, whose raw energy stems from their real-time interaction and sophisticated groove. The musicians in this group are Chaerin Im (synthesisers), Matteo Mazzù (bass) and Pedro Nobre (drums).

They will be followed on stage by Raw Fish, whose expression is intuitive, fun and with a suitably rough edge. Their music is based on interaction between Teis Semey’s guitar and Giovanni Iacovella’s drums, spiced up by the vocals of Italian-born Marta Arpini.

The climax of the concert will be AWICHAS, a group that draws inspiration from Andean ritual music and whose ecstatic soundscape combines electronics, percussion and the human voice. The group’s vocalist, Ibelisse Guardia Ferragutti, will also perform in Pakkahuone later at the weekend.

The programme was put together by Martyna van Nieuwland, the new Artistic Director of Tampere Jazz Happening, who has strong ties to the Netherlands.

“The real strength of the Dutch music scene lies in its diversity, internationality and multicultural dialogue,” explains van Nieuwland.

This will also come up strongly in Tampere: each group covered by the Netherjazz theme also comprises musicians with roots outside the Netherlands. The details of one Netherlands-themed concert in Pakkahuone, performed by the Dutch-Norwegian group Beiggja, have already been released. The full festival programme will be published in early September.

Entry to the opening concert will be free, and this will be the first opportunity to visit the Klubi hall at Tullikamari after renovations.

“Our opening concerts have been highly popular in recent years. We believe that an opportunity to see the venue itself will attract even more interest this year, which is why you should arrive early,” says Minnakaisa Kuivalainen, Executive Director of Tampere Music Festivals.