26/05/2026
This post doesn’t have a direct link to one of the art form’s masters who passed away today, Sonny Rollins. Nor does it have a direct link to the other master whose 100th birthday happens to be today, Miles Davis. But here’s the positive thing: their legacy, their inspiration doesn’t just live on records — it keeps breathing here, locally, through everyone still pushing this music forward. I believe this is the truest salute to the masters.
We have a small, strong, growing and active community of likeminded curious minds seeking new ways to express ourselves through the art we call jazz.
Here are photos from last year, 26th of July, when there were free jazz jams at Pethaus, Pispala, Tampere. On stage: the Pethaus free jazz jams hosts Henri Ijäs, Petri Pentikäinen and Pyry Pynnönen, along with some of the regulars — Jarno Alho, Janni Forsell, and the bassist and singer I both admire but whose names I don’t know — yet.
And the legacy keeps moving: tonight an interesting show at Telakka and, at the same time, a Miles 100 years special DJ night at Vastavirta Klubi upstairs. Tomorrow Mustik Motel’s label night at G Livelab with Tahmela Six and Lauri Kallio (going to be so good!!!), and on Saturday Free Jazz Jams again at Pethaus. Surely I forgot something! Jazz love materialises in this town.
