12 Points! Friday

Time: 20:00 - Donkey Monkey, Paris/France

Two very independent and creative spirits come together in this duo of French pianist Eve Risser and Japanese drummer Yuko Oshima. Donkey Monkey is an unpredictable, mischief making creature that sometimes breaks into song and likes to subvert jazz convention, and its especially fond of stride piano grooves and big beats from the Japanese rock scene.

Time: 21:30 - Mari Kvien Brunvoll, Molde/Norway

Solo artist Mari Kvien Brunvoll is a genuine original in the spirit of artists like Sidsel Endresen, with a voice that immediately captivates. Her music is a personal expression that covers jazz, electro pop and acoustic blues. She’s entirely alone on stage, but makes use of loops and pedals as well as zithers and thumb pianos to add detail to her intimate, soulful soundworld.

Time: 23:00 - Quartester, Helsinki/Finland

We meet two representatives of the Sarikoski clan, trombone wunderkind Kasperi, and his junior by two years, drummer Jonatan. Joining them are pianist Henri Mäntylä and bassist Vesa Ojaniemi, fellow students at The Sibelius Academy. This is a collective that oozes confidence and a sense of purpose when it comes to swinging music, qualities more readily associated with players far their senior.