Turku Sea Jazz expands to four days – full program is ready!

13.5.2022

Turku Sea Jazz, organized now for the second time reforms, and expands to four days. The festival kickstarts at the Cathedral Park Terrace on Wednesday, July 27 and Thursday is spent on Seili island. Weekend’s concerts on July 29–30 are held in the front of the Forum Marinum Maritime Center by Aura River. The audience gets to enjoy hottest Finnish and international jazz rhythms, a marine atmosphere, and delicious food experiences.

Turku Sea Jazz takes off on Wednesday with a free event at the lovely Cathedral Park Terrace milieu in collaboration with the John Nurminen Foundation. Jazz legend Junnu Aaltonen and his Nordic quartet The Father, The Sons & The Junnu performs on the terrace’s stage starting at 6 pm. A Baltic Sea themed discussion (in Finnish) during the break at 7 pm brings expert guests – MEP Ville Niinistö, fisher Saija Toivonen, food visionary Sami Tallberg and writer Jukka Ahonen – together to talk about fishery and sea-friendly food. The conversation is led by the John Nurminen Foundation. 

On Thursday a sea trip is organized to Seili island which is full of exciting history and charming nature. Master trumpetist Verneri Pohjola plays a unique improvised concert in Seili Church at 12 pm. Pianist Jussi Fredriksson performs marine compositions from his Archipelago Sea Tales album together with this trio in Seili restaurant at 2 pm. M/S Norrskär transports the audience from Turku to Seili in the morning and returns by early evening. 

Friday’s program starts at 4 pm with a free concert by Archipelago Sea Jazz All Stars at the Museum ship Suomen Joutsen in front of Forum Marinum Maritime Center. Master pianist Riitta Paakki starts the program at 6 pm with her quartet which includes American saxophone star Rick Margitza. Between Main Stage program the Maxxxtet band, praised by critics, plays on the Terrace Stage. The evening culminates in nostalgic ambiance with Pepe Willberg & Jukka Eskola Statement and jazz guitar megastar John Scofield with his Yankee Go Home project. 

Jukka Perko PreBoppers opens the festival Saturday with swing and virtuosity. Top bass player Kaisa Mäensivu performs on Terrace Stage with Severi Pyysalo and New York based drummer Joe Peri. Multiple award winner, charismatic Cyrille Aimée brings international glamour to the Main Stage with her band. The festival ends with a group combining surprising jazz and electronic music, led by one of the world’s most followed beatbox artists and pioneers, Felix Zenger.

Turku Sea Jazz offers treats also for other senses. Turku Food & Wine curates a wine bar, an artisan brewery and three top restaurants that will be revealed during the early summer.

The Artistic Director of Turku Sea Jazz, Jussi Fredriksson, waits eagerly for the summer:

– The renewed Turku Sea Jazz spreads from the shores of Aura River to the South end of Airisto. It is wonderful to be able to make a festival dream come true and combine the magic of the Turku Archipelago with world-class jazz music. The audience is treated with best music and taste experiences as we offer Finnish and international stars and a quality restaurant entirety. History is being made as jazz legend John Scofield performs in Turku for the first time! 

Turku Sea Jazz is one of four festivals in the Archipelago Sea Jazz series along with Baltic Jazz, Korpo Sea Jazz and the new Åland Sea Jazz. Work of the John Nurminen Foundation can be supported with a donation when purchasing tickets in Tiketti.

Turku Sea Jazz 2022 – PROGRAM

Wednesday, July 27

Cathedral Park Terrace, free entry
6 PM The Father, The Sons & The Junnu
7 PM Fish in Focus – Baltic Sea themed discussion led by the John Nurminen Foundation (in Finnish)
8 PM The Father, The Sons & The Junnu 

Thursday, July 28

Seili Church
12 PM Verneri Pohjola Solo
Restaurant Seili
2 PM Jussi Fredriksson Trio

Friday, July 29

Museum ship Suomen Joutsen, free entry
4 PM Archipelago Sea Jazz All Stars

Forum Marinum, main stage
6 PM Riitta Paakki Quartet feat. Rick Margitza (FI/US)
8 PM John Scofield – Yankee Go Home (US)
10 PM Pepe Willberg & Jukka Eskola Statement

Forum Marinum, terrace stage
7.15-7.45 PM and 9.15-9.45 PM Maxxxtet

Saturday, July 30

Forum Marinum, main stage
6 PM Jukka Perko PreBoppers
8 PM Cyrille Aimée (FR/US)
10 PM Felix Zenger & The Real Instruments

Forum Marinum, terrace stage
7.15-7.45 PM and 9.15-9.45 PM Kaisa Mäensivu Trio