DIG. festival comes of age as it returns to delight jazz music lovers after a two-year break
The annual DIG. jazz festival of Uniarts Helsinki’s Sibelius Academy will take over the Black Box of the Helsinki Music Centre on 5–7 October after a two-year break. The eighteenth edition of the festival offers a selection of public concerts by top musicians. For jazz students, in addition to the concerts, the festival gives a vantage point for observing the musicians in educational situations off the stage.
We asked the festival’s international star, jazz pianist David Hazeltine tips for new jazz music fans, as well as advice for students on finding their own voice and style. From Jussi Kannaste, the head of the jazz music department, we asked about the content, impact and future of the festival, which has now reached the age of majority.
DIG. showcases the world of artists on stage and off the stage
The DIG festival is an integral part of jazz education at the Sibelius Academy. It prepares students for working life through various workshops, for example.
‘’What is unique about this concept is that students see and hear the top musicians performing at the festival first in the teaching situation and then later in the evening at the concert,” says Jussi Kannaste, head of the jazz department.
Students are advised to prepare for the meetings by getting to know the international musicians in advance so that they can draw inspiration for their future careers from the meetings more efficiently. This year, students have had the opportunity to learn more from jazz pianist David Hazeltine and saxophonist Nicole Glover.
”Students need to get to know the musicians in advance and think about questions to ask them. And naturally, I hope that students attend the master classes and concerts with an open mind. Master classes provide our students with valuable tips for both on and off stage,’’ Kannaste continues.
Mastering the art of jazz through adoption
Master pianist David Hazeltine is in charge of the traditional swing part of the DIG. Festival by performing on Wednesday, 5 October, at the Black Box at the Helsinki Music Centre. In his youth, the Grand Old Man of jazz music also worked for a long time with Jon Hendricks’ vocal ensemble and singer Marlena Shaw. One of the most important lessons early in his career was the adoption of styles, which also helped in finding his own voice. Hazeltine also believes that this is the way that older jazz musicians have developed their own style and voice.
‘’There would be no Herbie Hancock without Oscar Peterson, or no McCoy Tyner without Bud Powell, and nothing without Charlie “Bird” Parker,’’ Hazeltine says.
In order to find their own voice, David Hazeltine encourages young musicians to explore history, which is the best way to adopt the different styles of improvisation.
”Adopting a style is one of the best ways to learn the “language” of jazz. It is complex, with components like spoken language, such as vocabulary, grammar, and syntax. Getting a grip on this language and assimilating enough variations of style is the best way to find your own style, Hazeltine adds encouragingly.
The legacy of a full-grown festival
The DIG festival has been organised since 2004. The 18-year-old event has been a springboard for many well-known jazz musicians. The festival is bold in its artist line-ups, and it helps the Sibelius Academy, the Finnish jazz scene and the musicians performing at the festival establish close relationships with each other.
”A good example is Antti Lötjönen, who played at the 2015 festival together with the drummer legend Jeff “Tain” Watts. Antti’s musicianship made an impression on Watts, and three years later Lötjönen’s phone rang. Watts asked him to join him on his European tour. This is what we want more of,” Jussi Kannaste says.
Each year, the festival programme is interesting and of a high artistic standard. The festival has often featured artists who have rarely performed in Finland. This year’s names include David Hazeltine and Nicole Glover, who performs at the Black Box at the Helsinki Music Centre on 6 October.
”Naturally, we also want to include a good mix of top Finnish jazz musicians and the jazz department’s own alumni and students in the line-up. The goal of DIG. has always been to discover future stars even before they become so popular that they are impossible to book. For example, Jason Moran and Lionel Loueke, who have both performed at at DIG. years ago, are really big stars at the moment,” Kannaste continues.
DIG. provides a break from everyday life
”I would like our festival guests to enjoy the music, have a moment of rest from their hectic everyday lives and forget about the rise in the 12-month Euribor, even for a moment,” Kannaste lists his hopes.
Culture lovers who are not yet familiar with the world of jazz are also welcome to come and enjoy today’s freshest sounds. Hazeltine emphasises the appreciation of ‘’swinging’’ in jazz.
“The swinging makes it impossible to not tap your foot on the floor, because it just feels so good, if it’s done right. Another thing to attend to as a listener is to try to listen to jazz-based songs that you’re already familiar with. I often use Happy Birthday or Twinkle Twinkle Little Star when teaching non-musicians how to listen to jazz,” David says.