UMO Jazz Orchestra
UMO Jazz Orchestra
Improvised Music Company presents
From Helsinki: UMO Jazz Orchestra
Sun 12th November 8 pm. O'Reilly Theatre, Great Denmark Street, Dublin 1
"In Finland, world-class big band jazz is spelled UMO. Persuasive melodies, harmonies and rhythms, not to mention improvisation of the highest order.” – All About Jazz
Musical Director: Kirmo Lintinen
Trumpets:Teemu Mattsson, Timo Paasonen, Tero Saarti, Mikko Pettinen
Reeds: Pentti Lahti, Jouni Järvelä, Teemu Salminen, Olli Ojajärvi, Pepa Päivinen
Trombones: Markku Veijonsuo, Mikko Mustonen, Pekka Laukkanen, Mikael Långbacka
Rhythm: Seppo Kantonen (pno), Ville Huolman (bs), Markus Ketola (dms)
Dizzy Gillespie described them as "one of the best big bands I've ever played with”, and seven years on from their Irish debut, Finland’s acclaimed UMO Jazz Orchestra are back in Dublin.
From modest roots in the mid 70’s, when local musicians in Helsinki first convened an informal big band, UMO has evolved organically to become perhaps Europe’s leading repository of the big band tradition. Operating today from their dedicated venue in the city’s hip Five Corners district, UMO has been the catalyst for the impressive momentum in Finnish jazz, and many of today’s leading contemporary players are among the orchestra’s alumni.
The roll call of visiting soloists is no less illustrious and Dexter Gordon, Phil Woods, Joe Henderson, Anthony Braxton and Kenny Wheeler are just some of the legendary artists to straddle the orchestra’s rich harmonic possibilities, as have guest directors like Gil Evans, Thad Jones, Bob Brookmeyer and Maria Schneider.
Today, they are marshalled by Kirmo Lintinen, who will direct this 17 strong juggernaut of exceptional Finnish players in a programme drawn from the extensive UMO treasure trove. Its centrepiece will be Sauna Palaa!, the latest in an impressive series of UMO commissions, featuring music that embraces the Nordic folk and jazz sensibilities from composers like Eero Koivistoinen and Jarmo Savolainen, and inspired by Finland’s emblematic 19th century novelist Aleksis Kivi.
This will be a seated show. Tickets cost €20 including booking fee through Improvised Music Company (ph: 01 670 3885) and are also available through Ticketmaster ph: 0818-719-300 email: www.ticketmaster.ie (Ticketmaster bookings subject to 12.5% charge, agents €2).