Jordan Rakei, Bill Frisell, and UMO to Headline Jazzkaar
Text Timo Raussi Photos Jazzkaar, UMO / Renee Altrov
The annual Jazzkaar festival will once again fill concert halls, clubs, and a range of uniquely atmospheric venues in Tallinn and across Estonia with music for just over a week from 25 April. Now in its 37th year, the festival programme highlights European sounds as well as performers from the United States who are already regarded as legends, all without forgetting Estonian artists.
This year’s main performer is New Zealand-born singer-songwriter Jordan Rakei, who, through his career in the UK and six released albums, has become one of the most influential jazz and soul artists in the UK. Known for his emotional songs and warm vocal tone, Rakei will take to the stage at the Alexela Concert Hall on 27 April, accompanied by two musicians. Around a hundred tickets for the concert are still available here.
Among the festival’s star performers from 15 different countries are also Grammy-winning legendary jazz guitarist Bill Frisell from the United States, and saxophonist Donny McCaslin, one of the architects behind the soundscape of David Bowie’s final album “Blackstar”. Representing fresh and exciting European jazz is Germany’s Moses Yoofee Trio, which blends elements of soul and hip hop into its sound.
Jazzkaar’s artistic director Anne Erm notes that the festival will also honour the centenary of composer and trumpeter Miles Davis. “Davis has influenced jazz as a musical genre more than anyone else in the world,” Erm says. Two concerts dedicated to Davis will take place on 27 April in Otepää, and on 1 May in Tallinn, featuring the sextet of Los Angeles-born but now Estonia-based Jason Hunter, which also includes Finnish drummer Jussi Lehtonen.
A concert of particular interest from a Finnish perspective will take place on 30 April, when Bianca Rantala, named Estonia’s Jazz Composer of the Year, will conduct the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, joined by soloist Valter Soosalu performing on the rare harpejji string instrument. The ensemble will perform “Gigli Marathon”, a work composed by Rantala specifically for them, which is believed to be the world’s first big band composition written for the harpejji.
This year, Jazzkaar’s programme expands beyond jazz to include flamenco, bossa nova, tango, retro-inspired performances and, through Moses Yoofee, even hip hop. The blending of musical styles is further illustrated by concerts featuring Estonian composer-singer Kadri Voorand along with the jouhikko duo Puuluup, as well as Estonia’s pop icon Anne Veski and funk band Lexsoul Dancemachine, who will perform on 2 May at the birthday celebrations of the Telliskivi Creative City.
On the festival’s second day, Sunday 26 April, audiences can enjoy 16 free concerts across Telliskivi. Throughout the festival, smaller performances, lunchtime concerts and musical surprises can also be encountered at Tallinn Airport, in the restaurant area of Viru Centre, in the café of Pärnu Hospital, on the Tallink Megastar ferry, and in many other locations.
More information about the festival, its programme and concert tickets is available here.
To learn more about this and similar topicsConcert events Festival jazz Jazzkaar Jordan Rakei Tallinn UMO
