Alexander Hawkins Trio,
Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui

Alexander Hawkins Trio

Alexander Hawkins is widely recognised as one of the UK’s most innovative and imaginative pianists and composer.

Together with Neil Charles and Stephen Davis, they form a trio that produces an impressive sound and perfect timing, showcasing the interaction between freedom and structure, composition, and improvisation. Their album Carnival Celestial was released by Intakt Records in 2023 and received a series of glowing reviews, much like their debute trio album from 2015.

Alexander Hawkins’ unique sonic world is shaped by a deep fascination with composition and structure, along with a love for randomness and openness of sounds. He is a highly sought-after composer, including by the BBC, Berlin's Pierre Boulez Saal, and numerous festivals. His performances take him to club, concert hall, and festival stages around the world.

He regularly collaborates with musicians of all generations, including names like Anthony Braxton, Marshall Allen, Evan Parker, John Surman, Joe McPhee, Hamid Drake, Nicole Mitchell, Tomeka Reid, Sofia Jernberg, Shabaka Hutchings, and many others.

Alexander Hawkins, piano, sampler (UK)
Neil Charles, double bass (UK)
Stephen Davis, drums (UK)

Kuva: Dawid Laskowski

8pm doors
8:30pm Alexander Hawkins Trio
aprrox. 9:45pm intermission
aprrox. 10:15pm Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui

Tickets 31/26 € + order fees (from 1,50 €), Lippu.fi
Duration approx. 2 h 45 min with intermission

Louhi Hall, Espoo Cultural Centre
Kulttuuriaukio 2, 02100 Espoo (Google Maps / HSL Journey Planner)

Selma Savolainen Horror Vacui

Winner of the “Finnish Grammy” for Best Jazz Album at the Emma Awards performs at April Jazz!

Selma Savolainen is a vocalist and composer based in Helsinki, who effortlessly combines Finnish folk sounds with jazz and alt singer-songwriter styles. Recently awarded with the Rising Talent Prize at the Pori Jazz Festival, she has been praised by the Helsingin Sanomat as a singer who is taking Finnish vocal jazz to new heights.

Her debut solo record Horror Vacui was in May, 2023. It features some of the most sought-after musicians on the Finnish jazz scene – Max Zenger on clarinets, Tomi Nikku on trumpet, Toomas Keski-Säntti on piano, Eero Tikkanen on double bass and Okko Saastamoinen on drums.

Horror Vacui is a set of songs composed and arranged specifically for this sextet, exploring the fear of emptiness, renunciation and sudden discoveries. "By creating space for every musician's voice, we hope to find a place where loneliness does not exist," Savolainen says.

Selma Savolainen, lvocals
Toomas Keski-Säntti, piano
Eero Tikkanen, double bass
Okko Saastamoinen, drums
Tomi Nikku, trumpet
Max Zenger, clarinets

Photo: Severi Uusitalo