jaZZanti concert: Selma Savolainen & Toomas Keski-Säntti

Known for her open-minded approach to music-making and her compelling use of voice, Selma Savolainen is one of the brightest stars of Finnish jazz. Helsingin Sanomat has described her as an artist who has elevated Finnish vocal jazz to a new level. Her English-language compositions are marked by a captivating blend of modern jazz and alternative singer-songwriter tradition. Savolainen’s debut album Horror Vacui won the Jazz Emma Award in 2024, and in the shade, released in spring 2026, has received widespread critical acclaim.

Helsinki-based pianist and composer Toomas Keski-Säntti has long collaborated with Savolainen and appears on two of her albums. He is also known from several Finnish jazz ensembles, including OK:KO, Adele Sauros Quartet and Jukka Perko PreBoppers. He studied at the Sibelius Academy and the Manhattan School of Music and has performed at clubs and festivals across Europe as well as in New York. Keski-Säntti’s debut solo album Unearth was released in 2025.

The duo of Savolainen and Keski-Säntti performs a program of their jointly composed material as well as pieces from Savolainen’s albums. The concert will also feature selected jazz standards.

Photo: Severi Uusitalo

The concert is supported by City of Helsinki, Svenska Kulturfonden and The Finnish Music Foundation.

The concert is part of the Jazz in Finland 100 Anniversary.