Finnish jazz is alive and vital with Nieminen Litmanen and Dalindeo
For festivalgoers this Sunday afternoon, two very different styles of jazz came alive on the III stage with the “Scandinavian Action Jazz” of Nieminen & Litmanen at 13.00 and the “Cinematic Bossa Nova” of Dalindeo at 15.00. For anyone who likes jazz and listens to the radio in Finland, this is without a doubt the kind of music we wish we could hear!
Nieminen & Litmanen is, as their names tells, a duo, who were inspired by a similar Swedish jazz duo of the 60’s Hansson and Karlsson. They thought they could make it through their music, and they certainly have. I give much respect to the duo’s choice of instruments, relying on their old Hammond organ and Gretch drums, but as those who play music know, it’s the instruments dear to us that can really convey our music. And Indeed these two men from Helsinki can weave the organ and drums together to the astonishment and pleasure of the audience. They masterfully mixed slow and quick tempos with imaginative and well-composed melodies. Not only that, but the duo sought to educate their young audience a bit, so remember that Mount Vesuvius erupted in 69 A.D., yet another sign that Nieminen and Litmanen hail back to the 60’s.
The Helsinki-based sextet Dalindeo aims with their “cinematic bossa nova” to “bring back the freshness, lightness, beautiful compositions and rhythmic textures of the era and combine it with modern approach. ” The area they refer to is the birth of bossa nova in Brazil with such artists as Carlos Antonio Jobim and a host of others. In bossa nova the guitar has played a central role, as attested by guitarists like Baden Powel among others, and in Dalindeo the trend continues. Guitarist Valtteri Pöyhönen, who started the band in 2003, writes and arranges all the songs, but that is not to say this is wholly guitar-driven. On the contrary, Dalindeo’s music is filled with other traditional bossa nova instruments: trumpet, bass, percussion, drums, and then they add both the flute and, at times, vocals. The whole ensemble brought out by these instruments filled the tent with energy.
So if you’re looking for good music, jazz or bossa nova, start with these two groups who rocked Ilosaari this year. Both groups have been releasing albums in the last couple of years, and more information can by found with the band name plus ‘dot com.’ Enjoy!
Text: Matti Erpestad
Pictures: Tomi Palsa