Photos and articles from Teppo Hauta-aho’s memorial concert on June 9, 2022

Teppo Hauta-aho’s memorial concert on June 9, 2022

We thank all the performers, the audience, the Savoy Theatre team and everyone else involved in the implementation, especially Sonata Hauta-aho. The concert was organized in cooperation with the Savoy Theatre and was supported by the Uusimaa Fund of the Finnish Cultural Fund, the City of Helsinki and Svenska Kulturfonden.

Cover photo: Maarit Kytöharju, concert photos by Haappix Haaparanta and old photos from Teemu’s photo archive..

The concert reviews was written by Matti Laipio in Jazzrytmit, Pasi Virtanen and Katri Kalliopää. Thanks to them. There are quotations from their articles at the end of this text.

Markku Salo recited the opening words of the concert, accompanied by Antti Lötjönen..

Meri Louhos described her experiences with Teemu and revealed the secrets of Teemu’s composition Merisonetti.

 

From somewhere along the way from Teemu’s photo archive:

Next Quatro Bajos, the group of young bassists (Daniel Paraczky, Teo Pelkonen, Erik Pulkkinen, Joel Peltonen) performed part 2 of Teemu’s composition Quartettino Basso 5/4. Erik Pulkkinen was hindered and the group’s teacher Marja-Helena Ojanperä was Erik’s understudy.

One of the earlier performing groups of young musicians (Houston, Texas 1997).

Jazz section was opened by the Pöyry Quartet, which now included pianist Eero Ojanen, drummer Reino Laine, saxophonist Mikko Innanen and Antti Lötjönen. They performed Teemu’s composition 4-3-5..

And a picture of the original Quartet from 1969:

Next we saw Mike Koskinen’s video “Teemu”.

Carita Holmström first sang her composition Kauanko Kestää with piano accompaniment

 

and then Kesäyö composed by Heikki Sarmanno with guitar accompaniment.

Picture of Carita and the fast-paced Teemu:

Teemu greatly appreciated Charles Mingus, whose composition What Love was performed by Mikko Innanen’s quartet (Mikko Innanen: alto saxophone, Heikki Nikula: bass clarinet, Eero Tikkanen: double bass and Olavi Louhivuori: drums).

The first free improvisation performance was played by Harri Sjöström’s quartet (Harri Sjöström: soprano and sopranino saxophone, Heikki Nikula: bass clarinet, Olavi Louhivuori: drums and Jukka Kääriäinen: electric guitar).

Harri’s and Teemu’s joint international ensemble was Quintet Moderne, where they were joined by violinist Philipp Wachsmann, drummer Paul Lytton and trombonist Paul Rutherford.

In addition, they played in Cecil Taylor’s Quintet. Cecil stated about Teemu: the best bass player that has ever played in my band.

The presents from Berlin were performed by Harri Sjöström: soprano and sopranino saxophone and Kalle Kalima: electric guitar.

As a surprise number, we saw the video sent by Baron Paakkunainen.

At the end of the first part, the Arietta Ensemble performed Teemu’s composition Arietta. The group included Kaapo Kangas, Tapio Lydecken, Dan Styffe, Maukka Siirala, Eero Tikkanen, Ville Herrala, Antti Lötjönen, Juha Vikman, Fanni Hoppari, Marja-Helena Ojanperä, Lassi Kari and Joel Peltonen. The Arietta was now arranged for 12 double basses, while it was originally composed for 16 double basses. It was the premiere of the composition in Finland.

The second set of the concert was opened by Teppo’s old friend Dan Styffe, performing Teppo’s composition Pizz Poem Basso with Teppo’s bass, which he borrowed for the concert.

We returned back to jazz with the Reiska Laine Quintet (Eero Ojanen: piano, Reiska Laine: drums, Uffe Krokfors: double bass, Juhani Aaltonen: flute and Eero Koivistoinen: tenor saxophone) and they performed Eero Koivistoinen’s composition Hokum.

And then to free expression by the combined Olavi trio / Trio Nueva Finlandia composition (Olavi Louhivuori: drums, Eero Ojanen: piano and Eero Tikkanen: double bass).

Below, the original Olavi trio at Espa’s stage in 2013..

And Trio Nueva Finlandia

Next, we got a glimpse of Japan in the form of Yoko Miura’s touching video.

And the free expression continued with the Kalmisto trio (Kalle Kalima: acoustic guitar, Jukka Kääriäinen: acoustic guitar and Ville Herrala: double bass).

Next in line was Kalle Kalima & K-18 (Kalle Kalima: electric guitar, Ville Herrala: double bass and Mikko Innanen: wind instruments), they played Kalle’s composition Belle de jour.

Rent Romus had also sent his own video greeting and composed the song Rent Lament for Teppo.

Kaapo Kangas performed perhaps Teppo’s most famous composition, Kadenza.

Reijo Kela brought in a different atmosphere.

At the end of the concert, in the spirit of Teppo “Hilseestä” was first performed, and John Coltrane’s Resolution as the last song. Eero Ojanen: piano, Kalle Kalima: electric guitar, Ulf Krokfors: double bass, Reiska Laine: drums, Olavi Louhivuori: percussion, Ville Herrala and Eero Tikkanen: double bass, Juhani Aaltonen: flute, Harri Sjöström: soprano saxophone, Eero Koivistoinen: tenor saxophone and Mikko Innanen: alto saxophone.

And finally:

 

Thank you – music lives on!

Excerpts from Matti Laipio’s article:
“A great concert in memory of Teppo Hauta-aho
Now there is reason to praise. Teppo Hauta-aho’s warm memorial concert at the Savoy Theatre was a great success. The concert commemorated the life work of the late bassist, who passed away last November, in a variety of ways. There were many artists who collaborated with Teppo, who also shared their memories of him.

It was gratifying that Teppo’s career as a composer was also remembered in this concert, produced in collaboration between Helsinki Jazz and the Savoy Theatre. Already at the very beginning, the pianist legend Meri Louhos played Teppo’s Merisonetti, which he had composed for her, amusingly recalling the composer’s detailed instructions for performing this quite avant-garde work.

One of the highlights of the concert was the Kadenza performed by bass player Kaapo Kangas, which is probably Teppo’s most performed composition. In fact, it has become a mandatory piece of many international bass competitions. And no wonder, because the piece makes versatile use of the possibilities of playing the double bass. Based on what I heard at Savoys, Kaapo Kangas would certainly have made it to the finals in the bass competition.

The most massive of the works in the concert was the Arietta performed by the twelve bassists who filled the Savoy stage, which was originally composed for sixteen players of the big violin. But there wouldn’t have been room for so many on stage. The performance of the minimally rehearsed slow-tempo piece still went quite well, at least in the listener’s opinion, even in terms of dynamic changes.”

Excerpts from Pasi Virtanen’s article:

“In memory of the “Kalmisto”, a really rich memorial concert was organized in Savoy, where music composed by or inspired by Hauta-aho was heard from a couple of dozen different ensembles, covering the timeline from the 60s to this millennium.

Hauta-Aho’s music and playing of it resonated widely, his music touched and inspired many different musicians and listeners.”

Excerpts from Katri Kalliopää’s article:

“However, the most important lesson from the concert was this: Hauta-aho’s music is not just his music. It is the music of each player, because it is apt to bring out what is most original and best in him or her.

And when this happens, Hauta-aho’s music also becomes the listener’s music.

FINALLY, I learned one more thing: Although Hauta-aho’s songs are different, they often have a similar ending: They end with serenity and peace, disappearing as if into eternal light.”

Kaapo Kangas 1999–2022
In honor of Kaapo Kangas’ memory. (dove)
Warm condolences to loved ones (heart)

Helsinki Jazz ry and the Savoy Theatre