Photo: Tanja Ahola At Viapori Jazz, Jarmo Saari (left) and Teemu Viinikainen perform on guitar with Jukka Perko (right) on saxophone and Verneri Pohjola (not shown) on trumpet. Perko is also the festival’s artistic director.
Jazz fans in Finland have never had it as good as they do now, with a wealth of domestic and foreign performers playing a thriving circuit of clubs and festivals from the southern coast to the far north.
Half a dozen clubs in Helsinki offer weekly, cutting-edge performances by top-tier Finnish musicians, while approximately 20 annual jazz festivals across the country contribute to a scene that thrives on a rich mix of traditional, modern, bebop, blues and Scandinavian elements.
