Vapaat äänet (Free Voices, Free Sounds)

 Vapaat äänet (Finnish for Free Voices/Free Sounds)  promotes and develops the exchange of jazz and improvised music between France, Finland, the Baltic countries and the whole Nordic region. The agency works with passion and respect for adventurous music and its creators, helping them to meet new audiences. Over the past ten years Vapaat äänet has steadfastly built up a substantial network of promoters in Northern Europe.

Its  export activities consists of a yearly program of 5 or 6 tours in the Nordic and the Baltic Countries. Among them you will find each year a package tour of French and Finnish artists in Finland,  a coproduction with the Finnish Jazz Federation. Charles Gil, the manager of the agency, is in charge of putting together and coordinating the tours. Most of the time these tours are produced by the managements of the French artists. He is also involved as a tour manager on most of the gigs, and coordinates the press arrangements for the Finnish dates.

 Vapaat äänet is also active on the Nordic and Baltic ground as the coordinator of the French Nordic Jazz Transit. This exchange program was started in 2003 by the AFIJMA, an umbrella organization which gathers 30 French contemporary jazz and improvised music festivals. During 2003 and 2004 this project has received a substantial support from the Nordic Cultural Fond, which has allowed many of the AFIJMA’s festivals to invite bands from Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. After this, each country’s own organizations have supported their bands’ concerts in France, and the FNJT has essentially turned to become a platform which develops the presence of French jazz in Northern Europe. Outstanding festivals are regularly part of the FNJT: Copenhagen Jazz Festival, Molde Jazz,  Nattjazz, Vossa Jazz, Umeå Jazz Festival, Tampere Jazz Happening, Pori Jazz, April Jazz, Jazzkaar. Also from 2003, Charles Gil has been hired by Pori Jazz to produce the Ultra Music event, a serial of concerts dedicated to the avant garde and most contemporary program at the biggest jazz event in Finland.

As a natural continuation of the exchange, Vapaat äänet promotes Nordic musicians, mostly Finnish ones, in France and the rest of Europe. The agency dedicates special attention to the projects of the Finns Mikko Innanen, Olavi Louhivuori, Veli Kujala, Jari Hongisto, Kalle Kalima, Pepa Päivinen and Teppo Hauta-Aho, as well as the bands of  Stefan Pasborg from Denmark and Terje Isungset from Norway. Vapaat äänet also plays a part in the synergy between the French and the Nordic scene by getting involved in bands such as Kimmo Pohjonen & Eric Echampard’s “Uumen”, the Äänet quartet or the new Marc Ducret Quintet comprising Danish and French musicians (to be created in May 2010). Vapaat äänet has been responsible for the Jazz program of “100 % Finlande”, the Finnish Cultural Season which has been held in France from April to June 2008.

 In 2009 the program of tours is:

 Vapaat äänet collaborates with government and cultural promotion organizations from both Finland and France. Most of the tours by French musicians in the Nordic and Baltic countries are supported by the French Ministry of Culture and CulturesFrance. Most of them also receive the support of  foundations such  as the Adami, the Spedidam, the FCM, the CNV and the Sacem. The network of French Cultural Centres also participates in spreading French jazz throughout Northern Europe , especially in Helsinki and Tallinn. The ESEK and LUSES foundations give their support to a large part of the Finnish concerts produced by Vapaat äänet in France. The Ministry of Education has been the main supporter of “100% Finlande” and has supported most of the French & Finnish tours in Finland.

 In March 2009, The AFIJMA has invited Vapaat äänet to become one of its first foreign associated members. Membership of such a valued network in Europe emphasizes the recognition of Vapaat äänet as a major actor at the interface between the French and the Nordic scene.

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© 2006 Vapaat äänet
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Last updated: 14.07. 2009