* Business News
- In outer space no one can hear your Desert Planet
- New kids on our block
- Passionworks supports Tarja in Europe 2008 tour & releases albums in Japan
- Eternal Tears Of Sorrow sign deal with KHY Suomen Musiikki Oy
- Amberian Dawn releases album in Europe
- Texas Faggott’s new album Kininigin released
- Iconic composer Einojuhani Rautavaara celebrates 80th birthday with Ondine
- Rocking the northern soul
- UMO Jazz Orchestra hits the big top
- Bass in your face in the crowd!
- 19th Musiikki & Media opens early bird registration
*Live news
- Tarja Turunen and Passionworks on tour
- Vocal Band Club For Five Live
- Kimmo Pohjonen
- Värttinä in Europe
This month the eyes of the world (well, those Europeans with a taste for kitsch anyway) turn to Belgrade to bear witness to the 53rd Eurovision Song Contest. Everyone wants to know whether Serbian extremists really have the tenacity and manpower to follow through on threats to kick the ass of all members of sexual minorities attending the contest. Its bound to be a lot. I would put my money on them failing spectacularly, as extremists are nothing if not failure-prone, stupid and unenterprising. And thats a damn good thing, too!
Things of a much less volatile nature are happening in the Finnish music industry and its international outreach program to help those poor in Finnish music make more of their lives in this sphere.
In outer space no one can hear your Desert Planet
but luckily in Canada they can! Spacepunk-micromusic electronauts Desert Planets (STUPIDO RECORDS) new track “Riot sector 68” from their latest “Moonrocks” -album has been licensed to Canada for the Food Jammers TV-show. Food Jammers is a very popular program about food. Its in its 3rd season on Food Network Canada. Food Jammers editors are backyard mechanics who make homebrew cooking equipment using junkyard parts, found objects, and locally sourced ingredients. Food Jammers have played 3 Desert Planet tracks in their shows previous seasons.
New kids on our block
and maybe soon on yours. Who knows? GAEA Records is a new Finnish indie label. Before its first anniversary, it managed to sign four fresh bands that have made a splash on the Finnish music scene.
The mullets-and-mustaches trash-electro group Jesse‘s debut album KAIKKI! went to #29 on the official Finnish album charts on its first week of release. The band was front cover fodder for the Finish music press before releasing an album. I Was A Teenage Satan Worshipper put out their second album The Lemonade Ocean in February and toured the country during the spring. New releases from GAEA towards the end of 2008 include Jermaine‘s eagerly awaited second album Hope Dies Last in August, as well as a new, as yet untitled single from Pintandwefall.
GAEA also works as a booking agency by the name of GAEA Booking. In addition to the bands on GAEA Records, GAEA Booking has just signed a contract with the alternative group Manboy (DRIVER 8 RECORDINGS), who will release their latest album Majestic in Sweden in May. Youll know them from previous newsletters. Right?! You read them, right? Oh come on!!! Err, well anyway
myspace:
Jesse
GAEA Records
I Was A Teenage Satan Worshipper
Jermaine
Pintandwefall
Manboy
Passionworks supports Tarja in Europe 2008 tour & releases albums in Japan
and while Tarja may not warrant one-name, Madonna-style recognition, it is a big deal for Finnish pop-rock band Passionworks (ROWAN3) to support Tarja Turunen (VERTIGO) on her Tarja - Storm in Europe 2008 Tour in May. Passionworks will join the tour on May 17th in Munich (Georg-Elser-Halle). Passionworks’ latest album Blue Play reached the shops in GSA and Benelux in July, 2007 by Zyx/Golden Core Records. In Japan Blue Play will be released together with the previous album Passion Play on May, 23rd by the Japanese label Disk Union. A new album release is slated for 2009.
For Passionworks gigs with Tarja, scroll down to the live section.
Eternal Tears Of Sorrow sign deal with KHY Suomen Musiikki Oy
Melodic death metal band Eternal Tears of Sorrow has signed a new deal with KHY Suomen Musiikki Oy. The band is currently writing material and an album will be released in March 2009. Release will take place simultaneously all over the Europe by Massacre Records. An Asian release is under negotiation.
Amberian Dawn releases album in Europe
Amberian Dawn‘s (KHY SUOMENMUSIIKKI OY) debut album “River of Tuoni” will be released all over the Europe in June by Ascendance Records. The deal was done by Lee Barret, the man who signed Opeth to Candlelight Records. “River of Tuoni” has already been released in Japan by Marquee/Avalon.
Amerian Dawn myspace here
Texas Faggott’s new album Kininigin released
The original and only hillbilly trance masters Texas Faggott (EXOGENIC RECORDS) released their long awaited fourth long player Kininigin on the 9th of May. Once again, theyre defining the direction in which Finnish psychedelic trance is heading. Kininigin presents a more straight edged side of TF, but the punk attitude, groovy bass lines and comedy sound effects are definitely still there.
Iconic composer Einojuhani Rautavaara celebrates 80th birthday with Ondine
9.10.2008 is the day and itll see the release a 2-CD recording of the great Finnish composers complete works for male voice choir by Ondine. The première recording of Rautavaaras latest orchestral composition, A Tapestry of Life (2007), coupled with Before the Icons and performed by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra under Leif Segerstam will be released in 2009. The new work will be given its Finnish première performance during an anniversary concert on 9 October 2008, with Olli Mustonen conducting the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra.
Ondine will also release a recording of Kaija Saariahos new work Mirage, based on a short poem by the Mexican shaman and Mazatec healer María Sabina (1896-1985). The work was commissioned by Orchestre de Paris, BBC Symphony Orchestra and Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. It was given its UK première on March 19 with Jiri Belohlavek conducting the BBCSO and its German première on March 20 with Jukka-Pekka Saraste conducting the DSO, both concerts also featuring Karita Mattila and Anssi Karttunen.
Rocking the northern soul
Northern soul-rocking miracle Moses Hazy (KIOSKI) was chosen as The Best Live Band In Finland 2007 by Rumba, the biggest Finnish bi-weekly. They were also rewarded for their webzine and personal media visibility/sexiness at Femma Awards, a Finnish alternative-rock award event. The promo video for their song “Suck my elbow” (check it out on here!) won the price for the young promising director 2007 OMVF (Oulu Music Video Festival).
Kioski Records released their second album “Break it down or shake it loose”, distributed by Playground Scandinavia, in late 2007 and they are already recording their third, to be released in early 2009 and distributed in Scandinavia and Northern America where they were playing at Canadian Music Week in March.
A new EP and a split single are coming out late 2008.
UMO Jazz Orchestra hits the big top
UMO and Circo Aereo are representing Finland at the Des auteurs, des cirques 100 % Finlande -festival in Paris, May 15th - 25th. The group has altogether eight performances at the Parc de la Villette‘s culture center, the Grande Halle.
The enchanting Louisiana Circus comprises six circus artists and a big band in the swinging atmosphere of an old time cabaret.
UMO (Finnish acronym for New Music Orchestra) is considered one of the worlds leading big bands. Circo Aereo is the first Finnish group to represent the cirque nouveau (new circus) movement.
This unprecedented synthesis of intimate new circus art and quality jazz brings the top circus talents from France, Sweden and Finland together with the top musicians of UMO to bring that old magic back to life.
Bass in your face in the crowd!
Courtesy of Jenni Tarma from Joensuu, Finland. Jenni, a graduate of the famed Berklee School of Music in Boston, MA, has toured with Melanie C and Har Mar Superstar in the past. Kylie Minoguess Helsinki gig in June will be Jennis first performance in her native land. Welcome home!
Read the article in Finnish here.
19th Musiikki & Media opens early bird registration - focus on creators of music
Musiikki & Media, the biggest annual Finnish music trade fair has opened it’s early bird registration. The 19-year old event gathers over 850 local delegates including the entire variety of Finnish recording, publishing, live music and media industries and nearly 100 international delegates.
Taking place at the familiar and intimate surroundings of Hotel Ilves, Musiikki & Media is coming up just as strong as always. The seminar program focuses on the turmoil of recorded and live music and the need of new business models. The main seminar is sponsored by Finnish Composers’ Copyright Society Teosto, giving the podium to some Finnish and international high profile creators of music. In the earlier years the event has had the priviledge of having such high profile keynote speakers and guests attending the seminar as Seymour Stein, Laurence Bell, Peter Jenner, Dave Dorrell, Jim Griffin, Gerd Leonhard to name a few. Full seminar program will be confirmed later this summer.
Musiikki & Media also offers a unique, spine-tingling opportunity for professionals to view showcase performances by a broad spectrum of Finland’s hottest new artists. Lost In Music -festival showcases nearly 100 artists in 12 venues of Tampere, just within walking distance.
Theyre cowboys (and girls), on steel horses they ride
Live news!
Tarja Turunen (VERTIGO) and Passionworks (ROWAN3)
17/05/2008 Munich (GER), Georg-Elser-Halle
18/05/2008 Zurich (SUI), Rohstofflager
20/05/2008 Graz (AUT), Orpheum
21/05/2008 Milan (ITA), Alcatraz
23/05/2008 Filderstadt (GER), Filharmonie
24/05/2008 Hamburg (GER), Docks
27/05/2008 Malmo (SWE), KB
28/05/2008 Oslo (NOR), Rockefeller
30/05/2008 Gothenburg (SWE), Tragarn
01/06/2008 Stockholm (SWE), Tyrol
Vocal Band Club For Five Live (UNIVERSAL)
22.5. Leipzig Germany, 9th Festival for Vocal Music Leipzig
23.5. Weimar Club concert featuring Indra (popular German beatbox artist)
25.5. Leipzig Germany 9th Festival for Vocal Music Leipzig Festivals concluding concert
28.5. Leipzig Germany Ministry of Transport and Communications Transport minister Anu Vehviläinen private reception for EU- ministers
29.5. Ludwigshafen, Germany, outdoor concert, Promoter conductor Ari Rasilainen musical director of Rheinland-Phalz 31.5. Paris France Institute de Finlandais
Kimmo Pohjonen (HOEDOWN)
May 15: Westcott Barton, Middle Marwood, Barnstaple, North Devon (Beaford Arts). (Earth Machine Music Tour)
May 17: Park Farm, North Aston, Oxfordshire (Oxford Contemporary Music). (Earth Machine Music Tour)
May 26: Dijon, France - Tribu fest (Kimmo Pohjonen & Eric Echampard)
June 6: Paris, France - Villette Sonic - 100% Finlande (solo)
June 14: Poznan, Poland - Ethniport Festival (solo)
Värttinä (HOEDOWN)
May 28: Leipzig, Germany Finnish EU-event
May 30: Ulm, Germany - Ulmer Zeit
June 13: Poznan, Poland - Ethnoport Festival
As the world dances to a turkey puppet
on 2008-05-15