Agent: Jaakko Hietakangas / jaakko@wejazz.fi / +358 50 386 9980
Helsinki tenor saxophonist Jussi Kannaste’s debut album as a band leader has been a long time coming. A top musician in the local scene revered by his contemporaries and sought after as a band member, Kannaste now presents his new work Out Of Self and Into Others on We Jazz Records. His quartet, Kannaste4, brings together Finnish musicians Tomi Nikku (of Bowman Trio) and Joonas Riippa, plus Berlin-based Swedish bassist Petter Eldh (of Koma Saxo / Post Koma and Y-OTIS), and features an all original program penned by Kannaste. His music is highly personal contemporary jazz leaning into modes of avantgarde expression. At times quiet as a whisper, at times fiery and swinging, Out Of Self and Into Others is a product of a deep marinade, a debut album that feels like much more than “just” that.
Jussi Kannaste (born 1976) is a saxophonist and educator based in Helsinki. Prior to launching Kannaste4, he has been a key part of the scene for 20+ years, performing in highly acclaimed bands such as Antti Lötjönen Quintet East, 3TM, Jaska Lukkarinen Trio, Ricky-Tick Big Band, and many more. As the head of the department of Jazz at Sibelius Academy, Kannaste is also a key figure in internationally admired Finnish jazz education system.
Kannaste4 combines music and spoken word in their concerts. The band’s goal is to be in tune with the times and to be always relevant. With their texts, Kannaste4 wants to take a stand on issues such as world politics, mental well-being, the importance of community. Kannaste4 also wants to make people think about their thinking, as the Finnish philosopher Esa Saarinen says. The opinion-taking nature of music has always been associated with jazz music – Kannaste4 wants to continue this tradition.
Jussi Kannaste, tenor saxophone
Tomi Nikku, trumpet
Petter Eldh, double bass
Joonas Riippa, drums