Courageous and free sound of modern Nordic jazz
Sanna Ruohoniemi, based in Stockholm, is the latest in a long line of strikingly individual Nordic artists & composers who successfully melds the open-sky freedom of modern jazz with the rich folk traditions of her homelands.
Her latest album ”Start from Nothing” (2018) was praised by critics, in Sweden and abroad, among others Europe Jazz Media Chart included as one of the best new releases in Europe in November 2018. Now she’s coming up with her third album, release expected on early Spring 2022.
Concerts are being booked with a bunch of swedish top musicians where you can find also the latest Swedish Lars Gullin Prize winner:
Joona Toivanen: Piano
Fredrik Lindborg: Saxophones & bass clarinet
Lars Ekman: Contrabass
Daniel Olsson: Drums
Expect modern jazz with elements of folk tones, funk, bebop and tango!
Vocalist/composer Sanna Ruohoniemi lives in Stockholm, but comes from Southern Ostrobothnia in Finland.
Sanna Ruohoniemi`s been touring both nationally and internationally, for example on ”Sydney International Women’s Jazz Festival” 2018 as the only artist from Europe and at the traditional ”Pori Jazz” in the summer of 2019, and sold out concerts on ”Stockholm Jazz Festival” both 2018 and 2019.
Before the pandemic blossomed, she toured in France and played some gigs as well in Germany, Finland and Sweden in 2020.
This year contains recording for the upcoming album and among other things, she’s one of the acts on ”Swedish Jazz” annual festival in Västerås in August and one of main acts at ”Tirana Jazz Festival” in Albania.
Media about Sanna Ruohoniemi:
– This is how ”Opulens” wrote about my gig at the Stockholm Jazz Festival:
”Opulens was listening to her concert during the Stockholm Jazz Festival, and the Church of Finland at Slottsbacken in the Old Town provided a beautiful setting for a concert that was very varied. The rumor about her capacity had also spread, and it was more than full. The variation in the musical was found both in the song choice and in Sanna’s voice, which shows a great breadth.”
– Phil Lively on British ”The Progressive Aspect”, writes: ”If your favorite brand of music isn’t jazz, if you’re unfamiliar with what is surely this broadest of genres, this music is the perfect envoy indeed for the genre. ”
– Dan Backman on ”OrkesterJournalen” also liked her last album: ”Sanna Ruohoniemi har ett självständigt uttryck vilken språkdräkt hon än klär sina sånger i.”
– Juha Seitz in the Finnish daily newspaper ”Ilkka / Pohjalainen” writes: ”Sanna Ruohoniemis flexible vocalism is entirely one of a kind. This talent dares to throw herself into music which creates strikingly fine improvisations. When you encounter virtuosity and vision, this is the result.”
– German music critic Duklas Frisch writes on ”InMusic”:”In the Finnish jazz scene, young singer Sanna Ruohoniemi has been one of the most notable talents since her debut album ’Tales Of A Stranger’ (2016), releasing her second album, ’Start from Nothing’, starring a top-notch band.”
”Sanna’s extraordinary vocals meet lyrical jazz, nordic folk and improvisational passages.”
Some samples:
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/40aaVKUmy3tlnKKZ7eHggC?si=TfMC-t-wS1qBjPfC-ZUrtg
Sanna Ruohoniemi 