Conductor Mikko Pettinen

UMO’s tribute to Stevie Wonder was a smash hit in autumn 2011. Conductor Mikko Pettinen leads an all-star soul vocalist cast in a cross-section of Stevie Wonder’s work, featuring: the consummate master Sami Saari; Janna Hurmerinta, one of Finland’s most skilled female vocalists; the sensational new soul talent Heini Ikonen; and Antti Kleemola, an old hand familiar for instance from many national qualifiers for the Eurovision Song Contest. Backing vocals are performed by TriSis, a vocal trio of talented singers Jonnu Heikkilä, Jepa Lambert and Hanna-Maria Helenius.

The concert will feature not just Stevie Wonder’s greatest hits but less well known material as well. The arrangements are mainly by Erno Tiittanen and Pessi Levanto. This concert production can be heard on tour in spring 2012 at Logomo in Turku, at Verkatehdas in Hämeenlinna and at Vuotalo in Helsinki.

 Sami Saari (b. 1962)

• a pioneering Finnish soul singer and songwriter
• a member of Veeti & The Velvets in the early 1990s, has also had a long and successful solo career
• vocal soloist with the reincarnated Dallapé Orchestra from 2010

Janna Hurmerinta (b. 1981)

• one of the most distinguished soul singers of the young generation
• has released two solo albums, Right Now (2007) and The Makings of Me (2008)

Antti Kleemola (b. 1972)

• a multi-talented musician who has appeared as a singer and an instrumentalist in musical productions and in pop and rock groups (including Aikakone, Antti Kleemola Soul Band, and Suo, Kuokka ja Jussi)
• has written songs for prominent Finnish performers (including Jippu, Katri Ylander, Annika Eklund and Paula Koivuniemi)
• has released two solo albums, Jotain parempaa (2006) and 10 kohtausta (2008)

Heini Ikonen (b. 1989)

• a promising talent who graduated as a pop-jazz musician from Jyväskylä Conservatory in 2009 and is currently studying pop-jazz vocals at Metropolia in Helsinki
• winner of the Rookie of the Year award of the Jyväskylä Jazz Bar (2006) and the Paimio Soi singing competition (2010)
• has worked with Axl Smith, her brother Osmo Ikonen and hip hop artists Elastinen and Signmark

The Turku concert is a part of Flame Jazz Club's program

Wed 28.3.2012 at 7.00 pm

Logomo, Turku

Thu 29.3.2012 at 7.00 pm

Verkatehdas, Hämeenlinna

Fri 30.3.2012 at 7.00 pm

Vuotalo, Helsinki

Tickets: 25 e (Turku and Hämeenlinna), 16/14 e (Helsinki), advance tickets: Lippupalvelu.