The UMO Helsinki Ensembles, a small ensemble made up of musicians from the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, will play six small ensemble concerts in Helsinki libraries from Mon 28 to Wed 30 April 2025. The library tour is part of UMO's outreach work and the concerts are free of charge. At the end of the concerts, the public will have the opportunity to ask the musicians questions.

UMO Helsinki Ensemble: Greetings from New Orleans
Monday 28th of April at 12 PM Lauttasaari Library

In this Concert UMO Helsinki Ensemble performs classics from the birthplace of jazz music, New Orleans. In the 19th century, the Louisiana port city was a melting pot of cultures, where the heritage of European classical music, African and Caribbean rhythms and the mainstream American music of the time began to merge. The result was a new musical trend whose influence extends to popular music today. Along with ragtime, blues, spirituals and marches, a style called "jass music" was born, which eventually evolved into the genre we know today as jazz.

The concert will feature early 20th century classics from New Orleans jazz pioneers such as King Oliver's Snake Rag, Jelly Roll Morton's Black Bottom Stomp and Louis Armstrong's Potato Head Blues.

The UMO Helsinki Ensemble is a smaller ensemble formed from the UMO Helsinki Jazz Orchestra, whose musicians have extensive careers with UMO and in numerous projects of their own. The concert's repertoire is designed by trombonist Kasperi Sarikoski, who also conducts the ensemble.

Line-up:

Kasperi Sarikoski, trombone and ensemble leader

Timo Paasonen, trumpet and cornet

Mikko Mäkinen, clarinet

Kirmo Lintinen, piano

Kenneth Ojutkangas, sousaphone

Markus Ketola, drums

Concert duration 1 h

UMO Helsinki Ensemble: Greetings from New Orleans﻿

UMO Helsinki Ensemble: Greetings from New Orleans