Suzanne on the green side of the road in Estonia and Finland in July 2024

Suzanne is a collective voice that brings together viola player Maëlle Desbrosses, bass clarinettist Hélène Duret and guitarist Pierre Tereygeol, in their quest for folk songs of the new century. From July 17th to 28th 2024, the French trio spent twelve days on the road and performed three concerts in Estonia and five concerts in Finland. This new episode of the Europe Jazz Network’s (EJN) Green Pilot Tour program was happily haunted by the spirit of Slow Touring. The tour was co-produced by the Helsinki based agency Vapaat äänet and the festival Raahe Jazz on the Beach, in partnership with Jazz Estonia, and supported by EJN and AJC – Association Jazzé Croisé.

From the start to the end Suzanne performed intensive concerts. The brilliant interplay between these master instrumentalists is all the more impressive when remembering that they also cultivate together a rare vocal connection. This fantastic chamber unit was able to adapt itself easily to small venues, requiring only a small amplifier for the acoustic guitar. On the bigger stages, the professional sound engineers had no difficulties to work out a proper sound front of stage, since the trio delivered a ready-made balance. The listeners could immerse themselves in the elaborated original pieces and they showed that they loved it.

Our guidelines of sustainability included bigger statements such as: flying only twice at the start and finish of the tour; priority to public transportation for inner travels whenever possible; priority to hybrid car rental when available and to lower consumption of fossil fuel; no single taxi rides; no processed food and priority to local products, vegetarian and vegan food; and last but not least, fair compensations for the artists. Along the way, we had in mind small things which meant a lot to us: our own drinking bottles that we filled with tap water, which is often of high quality in Estonia and Finland ; only one towel used in rooms where we stayed for only one night ; avoiding unnecessary waste and food waste ; in hotels leaving a tip to the cleaning personnel instead of drinking the bottled water that they would charge; giving a fair tip to drivers when using lower price taxi companies.

The promoters succeeded in organising a sustainable hospitality. They chose eco-friendly accommodations such as renovated farmhouses, Green-Key hotels, family run hostels, etc and served local food, home food. We felt warmly welcome everywhere. In Triigi, instead of flowers, the pianist and chairman of the Estonian Jazz Federation Kirke Karja had the brilliant idea of giving as a present from Jazz Estonia a delicious loaf from Muhu Island to each musician and the tour manager. This super tasty bread package lasted till we reached Raahe one week later, including our picnics on the trains!

Together with the musicians and the team of Raahe Jazz on the Beach, we would like to thank the wonderful audiences all along the way and all the promoters and partners involved , with a special mention to Jazz Estonia for its precious coordination work. This tour wouldn’t have been possible without the support of the EJN and the AJC, a warm thank for their support.

Charles Gil
Tour producer and road manager / Festival director, Raahe Jazz on the Beach

Some comments by the musicians

Awareness of the environmental impact of a tour, however small it may be on the scale of global consumption, seems to me to be on the same level as the ecological awareness that I bring to my daily life. Green touring acts as a reminder of the importance of consuming intelligently during a work trip; and this applies to our travelling where we had tried to reduce the carbon impact as much as possible and to consumption patterns (avoiding plastic, consuming local products, etc).

it is possible to reconcile daily values with touring practices when the work between the tour manager and the artists focuses on this; and this is despite the paradoxes of the modern world and our capitalist societies are inevitable on a day-to-day basis, as well as during our professional practice. It is all about being able to experience them consciously and not forgetting everything that is possible to do even when we are playing far from home.

From the meeting with the See Pole See performing the music of Raimond Mägi to the meeting with the Estonian and Finnish audiences, the result I feel is an active listening experience working towards a type of calmness. Paradoxically, this art of taking your time in the construction of the discourse resembles the very sculpture of sound. A kind of slow music making in sympathy with slow touring allows us to enjoy every moment, from the concerts to the meetings, including the discovery of landscapes and the rich cultures of these countries.

– Maëlle Desbrosses

I was able to travel and consume consciously, keeping in mind the ecological issue as it exists in my daily life and appreciating the fact that it was shared and supported.

Having the chance to play a creative music program several times in a row, and all the more being abroad, is very rare and precious. It feeds the imagination and allows the musical artist to be sharp and at the best of his abilities.

I could take the time to discover other ways of thinking, other realities, other contexts , to appreciate the encounters at their true value. I could find within myself the capacity to connect to my own creativity and enjoyed whatever where the conditions.

– Pierre Téreygeol

The Green Touring allowed me to put into practice, at a professional level, the ecological principles that I apply in my daily life. An opportunity for me to finally feel in agreement with my principles. With the satisfaction of feeling that this title and its implementation also awaken the consciences of the audiences who come to discover our work.

In addition to the principles of slow touring, the artistic encounter with See Pole See and Raimond Mägi, working with Charles Gil as tour manager was also a revelation, since music was able to be magnified thanks to his constantly attentive presence. Taking time, detaching oneself from the material, meeting, being respected as an artist, are sure values for the success of a tour. Thus, these values, if they are respected, allow artists to perform the music as its best. And this is what happened in our specific case.

Intensive practice of the instrument, whether personal or on concert tours, is always a huge source of inspiration for solo performance. On this tour, the encounter with the sound of the musicians of See Pole See and Raimond Mägi came to nourish and open the field of possibilities with my instrument. Namely, the link with silence, long notes, sound for sound’s sake. All mixed with the relationship to melodies.

– Hélène Duret

Tour program and logistics
ESTONIA in collaboration with Jazz Estonia
Driving in Estonia with rented car: 728 km / fuel 42,6 l ie 5,85 l / 100 km
Wed 17/07 early flights from Paris / Maëlle and Hélène, to Tallinn through Amsterdam / Pierre, to Helsinki + extra seat / train + tram + ferry to Tallinn with Charles
16:00 Tallinn, rehearsal with See Pole See trio
Thu 18/07 taxi to rental company /drive to Saaremaa Island
18:00 concert @ Triigi Filharmoonia: Suzanne, See Pole See trio/ new piece by Raimond Mägi performed by both trios together
Fri 19/07 Saaremaa, day off / running, swimming, home cooking + sauna / drive to Paide in the evening
Sat 20/07 19:00 Paide, Concert @ Wabakohvik / swimming, running, instrument practice
Sun 21/07 16:00 Tõrva, Tule Päevad (City festival), Concert @ outdoor stage / sauna + swimming / drive to Tallinn in the evening
FINLAND
Mon 22/07 ferry to Helsinki + tram, walk to the hotel + walk to the venue
19:00 Helsinki, concert @ Hakasalmen Huvila / Helsinki Jazz
Tue 23/07 train Helsinki > Seinäjoki, walk to the hotel / drive to the home concert
18:00 Seinäjoki, home concert in back yard, / Jazzoikoon!
Raahen Rantajatsit – Raahe Jazz on the Beach
Wed 24/07 train Seinäjoki > Vihanti + line bus to Raahe
Day off, sauna, swimming
Thu 25/07 18:00 Concert @ Ruukin Kreivinsaari, outdoor stage /
Siikajoki, 33 km from Raahe, drive Raahe by rented hybrid car
Fri 26/07 14:00 Library of Raahe, meeting the artists
22:00 Concert @ Ruiskuhuone, outdoor stage
Sat 27/07 11:00 Kinosalonki Sofia / 3 solo concerts in the yard
In Raahe all venues, accommodation and artists catering were walking distance.
Sun 28/07 bus Raahe to Vihanti + Train Vihanti > airport of Helsinki + airport train
evening flight to Paris + collective taxi back home