Norppa on the Jamiluokka Tour in October
Norppa is taking its Jamiluokka tour to Helsinki, Savonlinna, Outokumpu and Kajaani on 6–9 October. In addition to the concerts, the programme includes jam sessions and a workshop introducing participants to jazz.
Norppa is a new jazz ensemble that, in the spirit of the Jazz in Finland 100 anniversary year, performs a diverse selection of Finnish compositions, ranging from works by previous generations to original compositions by the ensemble members themselves. The group combines tradition and the present day with swing, playfulness and a touch of the laid-back spirit of the Saimaa ringed seal.
The programme also highlights a gem of Finnish-American jazz history: When Your Lover Has Gone, a composition by Einar Swan, who was of Finnish-American descent. The song has been interpreted by, among others, Louis Armstrong, Ray Charles, Billie Holiday and Frank Sinatra.
Trombonist Kasperi Sarikoski has performed with numerous ensembles both in Finland and abroad and works full-time as principal trombone of the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra. Sonja Kaipainen is a versatile and expressive pianist who leads her own trio and performs, among others, with Timo Kämäräinen’s ensemble. Bassist Ape Anttila works extensively in the jazz field as a musician, composer, producer and educator, and has performed, among others, with the Lenni-Kalle Taipale Group and the cult-favourite Quartet Coyote. Drummer Joonatan Naumanen is an emerging jazz talent who impressed audiences with his playing at the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra and Metropolia’s New Talents concert in January 2026.
Norppa
Kasperi Sarikoski – trombone
Sonja Kaipainen – piano
Ape Anttila – bass
Joonatan Naumanen – drums
Concert Venues and Dates
6.10. at 19.30 Helsinki, restaurant Harju 8
7.10. at 18.00 Savonlinna, Kulttuurikellari / Olavin Jazz ry
8.10. at 18.00 Outokumpu, Kulttuuritalo Marita
9.10. at 19.00 Kajaani, Kaukametsä Congress and Culture Centre
In Helsinki and Savonlinna, the Norppa concert will be followed by free and open jam sessions for musicians. In Kajaani, the ensemble will hold a workshop for students at the local music school. The jam repertoire includes, among others, the following tunes: Can’t We Be Friends, Fine and Dandy, Willow Weep for Me, Softly, as in a Morning Sunrise, Sonnymoon for Two, Manhã de Carnaval, C Jam Blues, Tenor Madness, Misty and Cantaloupe Island.
The tour is part of the Jazz in Finland 100 anniversary programme and is part of the Jamiluokka project, a joint initiative of the Finnish Jazz Federation, the Music Department of Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, the Jazz Studies programme at the University of the Arts Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy and UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra. The project aims, among other things, to renew Finnish jam culture, strengthen students’ working-life and performance skills, and help them build professional networks. The project is supported by the Alfred Kordelin Foundation.
Photo: Teemu Mattsson