The Pori International Jazz Festival was arranged in July for the 47th successive year in Pori, Finland. The festival was held from Saturday 14th to Sunday 22nd of July. Pori Jazz is known as one of the major venues in he Nordic jazz festival scene. Pori Jazz Festival was attended by 140 000 visitors, of which 48 000 paid visitors in 126 concerts.
Afro-American rhythm music were played at the cafés, restaurants, parks and clubs of festival area for nine days. There was also a brand new concert place called Cotton Salsa Factory, with excellent Latin & Cuban theme. Also the special Pori Jazz Kids Festival was held with 120 performers.
On the jazz stage were seen such jazz names as Miles Smiles featuring Robben Ford, Wallace Roney, Kenny Garrett, Darryl Jones and Omar Hakim, The Bad Plus featuring Joshua Redman, Leszek Mozdzer, Jools Holland with his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra and more.
Soul, funk, r&b and blues were also strongly presented by Emeli Sandé, Janelle Monaé, Norah Jones, D’Angelo, Estelle, Sam Sparro, Hidden Orchestra, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, etc… Jamaican Legends brought Jamaican sounds with Ernest Ranglin, Monty Alexander and Sly & Robbie.
Pori Jazz Festival had this year emphasis on women power having as special guest artists Norah Jones, Janelle Monáe, Emeli Sandé and Estelle.
Scottish soul singer Emeli Sandé had wonderful opening performance – in view that her first debut album Our Version of The Events was issued only last January (hitting the top chart) – by presenting her biggest hits Daddy and Next to Me among others with her nice charisma and voice. A new soul star has been born!
The Kansas City-born 27 year old Janelle Monáe echoed like Prince, OutKast, Erykah Badu and James Brown in her music, but also like Grace Jones and David Bowie among others. Dressed in men’s tuxedo – the female version of Michael Jackson.
Estelle was born and raised in West London but has been a Brooklyn based New Yorker for some time now. This singer-songwriter, rapper, producer and model is at home with soul, r&b, hip hop and reggae. Estelle released her album Shine in 2008 which raised her into international fame. American Boy, the second single from the album featuring Kanye West and John Legend on the video reached number one in the UK Singles Chart. She had a powerful show at Pori Jazz Festival to be remembered.
Norah Jones emerged with her honey voice on the world stage 10 years ago. Right there and then her album Come Away With Me has sold 25 million copies worldwide sweeping 2003 Grammy Awards. Since then, Norah Jones has released four more critically acclaimed and successful solo albums – Feels Like Home (2004), Not Too Late (2007),The Fall (2009) and Little Broken Hearts (2012).
Little Broken Hearts, her fifth studio album, explores the concept of heartbreak with guitar driven and craggy sounds under the supervision of producer Brian ”Danger Mouse” Burton. Norah Jones perforned in Pori pieces mainly from her latest album. Among the top moments was her singing with piano only Don’t Know Why – it was very touching performance.
Also other popular names such as Jools Holland and his Rythm & Blues Orchestra and the veteran Paul Anka made good shows which the audience liked – the former with humouristic show and fine”party music” and the latter with his 12-men orchestra 30 different songs from his long career, and as a speciality performed his in 2009 released single This Is It which he made with Michael Jackson.
The 48th Pori Jazz Festival will be held 13th-21st July 2013. The program will be published during the winter and spring 2013. For more information see www.porijazz.fi.
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