25.-28.9. 2025

Porvoo Jazz Festival vol. 13 schedule released!

The Porvoo Jazz Festival takes place in the centre of Porvoo for the thirteenth time – this year’s highlights include the late night gigs of Vanha 123 with a new twist, UMO’s anniversary concert at Culture House Grand and Jazzlöylytys at hotel RUNO.

This year, the festival will again be held over four days. On Thursday 25.9. the Porvoo Jazz Festival will take place in Porvoo’s main library for the first time! The festival will open with a free children’s concert for the whole family. Mirkka & Luis. On Friday, the festival continues in the traditional Culture House Grand. The festival is honoured to co-host with Porvoo Cultural Services a concert as part of the UMO’s 50th anniversary season, featuring former artistic director of the festival, drummer Jaska Lukkarinen. UMO’s Rainbow Blue -the music for the concert was composed by the conductor of the concert, Mikko Hassinen.

Porvoo Jazz Festival ry’s own cultural space, Vanha 123, is being given a new, brighter spotlight this year. It’s got a lot to offer in terms of content, technology and experience, and the late-night shows will also take place in its atmospheric space. On Friday, the early evening performances will feature Helmi Antila, winner of the recent Jazzliitto Taimi award, and her quartet, as well as charismatic jazz silver medallist Jussi Kannaste and his band Kannaste4. The late night will be capped off by the massive and upbeat Finnish soul band Punomo from Turku.

On Saturday at Vanha 123, there will be two spectacular doubleheaders in two different halls. The stage at Vanha 123 will be taken over by the Swedish art fraternity Agnas Bros. (SE) and Riikka Keränen & Juho Valjakka – On Canvas -concert. Late night double bill sees chairs give way to the dance floor as beatbox pioneer takes the stage Felix Zenger & The Real Instruments feat. Tommy Lindgren with their rhythmic power and technical skill, and Aki Himanen & Aleksi Kinnunen, who unprejudicedly combine the danceable pulse of techno music with the spontaneity of jazz music. On Sunday, the closing day of the festival, Vanha 123 will host a traditional joint event with the Porvoo Region Music School. Nuoret Kyvyt -concert, which has free entry.

True to its style, Porvoo Jazz Festival ry is also launching a new special event! This year, a true jazz fan can start their Saturday festival career with the luxurious RUNO Hotel. Jazzbrunch, where you can enjoy the delicacies accompanied by the tunes of Max Zenger 3 plays Jimmy Giuffre 3, a recent project by the festival’s artistic director. From there, you can move on to the hotel’s picturesque sauna area Jazzheat À la Saari & Kortehisto – soul-cleansing live jazz and RUNO’s renowned cocktails while you relax and unwind!

The Porvoo Jazz Festival will also land at the Art Hall for two concerts during the weekend. On Saturday, for the second time, a concert in collaboration with the Avanti Chamber Orchestra will take place at Art Hall. Porvoo Jazz Festival X Avanti -concert. Sunday’s closing concert at Art Hall features guitar & saxophone duo Reinier Baas & Ben van Gelder (NL), whose almost orchestral sound has defined Dutch jazz for a decade. During the concerts, the audience can enjoy art exhibitions by Roberto Fusco & Emma Fält, Taru Happonen and Dora Dalila Cheff!

The Porvoo Jazz Festival is a big-hearted event that focuses on quality and an intimate festival atmosphere with a bohemian touch. We don’t take jazz too seriously. We want our audience and performers to have a comfortable and atmospheric experience above all. Interactivity is also important at our events, and we want to bring the most up-to-date and carefully selected jazz to every listener.

The Porvoo Jazz Festival has been held every autumn since 2013. Located in the heart of Porvoo, the festival and the year-round Porvoo Jazz Clubs are held in the renovated cultural space Vanha 123. With three comfortable halls and two bars, the former cinema is the perfect setting for concerts where the audience becomes part of the experience.

The festival is organised by the Porvoo Jazz Festival Association and the programme for 2025 is organised by the association’s artistic director, saxophonist Max Zenger.

SIZE DOESN’T MATTER, JAZZ DOES!