Field Marshal Mannerheim and Finland's Independence

Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim

This photograph is in the Public domain

On December 6th Finland celebrates her 92nd Independence Day. This week seventy years ago Soviet Russia attacked Finland without declaring a war. This widely condemned aggression became known as the Finnish Winter War. Mannerheim's role was paramount for tiny Finland in getting her independence in 1917 and maintaining it during WWII when fighting against a giant but brutal super nation. Marshal Mannerheim served also as the President of Republic in 1944-46.

A Finnish author wrote the novel "My grandma and Mannerheim". My junction with Mannerheim and Finnish military history happened several times during the past decade when participating in Otava jazz camp and Happy Jazz Festival. The camp accommodation is in Otava Junior College's dormitory where Field Marshal's headquarters were located during the months of the Winter War. Mannerheim's humble office is still maintained in the dormitory as a small scale museum. From 1941 the Army HQ was again located in St. Michael.

Otava is nowadays a borough in the town of St. Michael in Finland. I was directed to a blog by three young St. Michael authors: Mannerheim Darkroom: The statue issue. Apparently, there was a fuzz in the town about fairly recent relocation of Mannerheim's statue to a less visible, obscure location. I could not help writing a few personal comments.
Happy Independence Day,

Improvisation Basics: The Power of the Pentatonic Scale

Last week I spent at Otava Jazz  Camp in outskirts of St. Michael in Finland. (My last year's blog post - 2009 pictorial story is forthcoming.) The theme for this year was syncopation. Much of the time was spent working in small combos and developing an improvised solo. The cornerstone for a beginning improviser is the Pentatonic Scale:

Bobby McFerrin is one of the natural wonders of the music world. A ten-time Grammy Award winner, he is one of the world's best-known vocal innovators and improvisers, a world-renowned classical conductor, the creator of "Don't Worry Be Happy", one of the most popular songs of the late 20th century, and a passionate spokesman for music education. Here Bobby demonstrates the power of the pentatonic scale, using audience participation, at the event "Notes & Neurons: In Search of the Common Chorus", from the 2009 World Science Festival, June 12, 2009.

World Science Festival 2009: Bobby McFerrin Demonstrates the Power of the Pentatonic Scale.

More on Pentatonic Scales By John Lull

Technorati Tags: Pentatonic Scale, Bobby McFerrin, improvising

Coming jazz gigs

The next seven days will be busy.

This week-end (January 24-25) I will be attending Classic Jazz training camp in Järvenpää. This is organized by same bodies as the summer camp in Otava. There will be performances and jamming at both nights in Bar Cafe My Way at Hotel Rivoli in Järvenpää. Three players from Bob's Take Away -band, Roba, Sami and myself, will be attending the camp.

On Wednesday Jan. 28 Bob's Take Away will be a featured band in Pub Henrik's Jazz jam night in Helsinki.

I am looking forward for a lot of fun and good jamming with good friends.

Otava Jazz Camp 2008

Spent last week again at Otava Jazz Camp as I have done since 1996 missing only a couple of summers. Otavan Opisto (a junior college) is located in St. Michaels, Finland and the natives are friendly. The college personnel are very helpful and want to create a pleasant environment for jazz studies.

The student group consisted of some 50 players and singers divided into six combos. And the singers had an a Capella nonet, too. I knew most of the students from the past courses although there were some newcomers, too. There was plenty of laughing and good spirits as before.

The theme for this course was "time". The topic was competently introduced by the course leader Wade Mikkola and visiting teacher from Canada, Alan Matheson. I had a chance to talk with Alan several times. He also gave a clinic to all wind players together with trombonist Pekka Leander. Alan is a very pleasant and interesting person besides being a top-notch musician, composer and arranger.

Wade Mikkola, bass

Alan Matheson, trp and piano

I was placed in a group coached by pianist Lasse Hirvi. Lasse was new at Otava, but demonstrated his skills and experience very fast. He was a patient teacher who found ways to get his message across and get the program ready for the performance.

At Wednesday night we performed in the nearby Kissakoski restaurant three pieces:

• D.C. Farewell by Richie Cole
• Them There Eyes (with vocalist Helena Tuokkola)
• Our delight by Tadd Dameron

The performance was well received and the audience acknowledged the solos, too. In this combo we had:

Mikko Heikkinen, accordion
Matti Haatanen, vibraphone
Jouko Lahtiranta, drums
Antti Teinilä, bass
Veli-Pekka Kuuranne, trumpet
Hannu Luukannel, trombone and
Harri Rautiainen, alto and tenor sax

Overall the week was hard work, but also plenty of fun. I think that the results and standards were raised from the year before. The course secretary Tuuli Mäenpää took care of all possible and impossible requests; my thanks to Tuuli (on the left).

Did I miss something? Yes, a saxophone teacher would have been nice to have there.
Would I go next year again. You bet!