Marius Neset Quartet, Elifantree

Marius Neset Quartet – the present moment of European jazz on stage

“Marius Neset is not the future of European jazz – he is its present,” wrote critic Brian Morton in DownBeat magazine in 2022. Norwegian saxophonist and composer Marius Neset is one of the most distinctive and influential voices in European jazz today: a barely containable force of nature on stage and on record, captivating, exhilarating, and irresistibly compelling.

Neset’s music brings together virtuosic playing, rhythmic ingenuity, and expansive compositional thinking. His sound draws inspiration not only from jazz but also from classical music, progressive rock, and orchestral approaches — yet the result is always unmistakably his own. Having picked up the saxophone at the age of eight, Neset was already recognised in his early twenties as one of Europe’s most promising jazz talents. His breakthrough came with the critically acclaimed album Golden Xplosion in 2011, followed by a series of highly praised releases on labels such as Edition Records and ACT.

The Marius Neset Quartet features leading figures of contemporary European jazz. Keyboardist Elliot Galvin and bassist Conor Chaplin join from London, while Swedish–Norwegian drummer Anton Eger represents Copenhagen. In the quartet’s music, composed material and improvisation intertwine seamlessly, driven by intense interplay, rhythmic momentum, and a constant sense of motion that keeps the music alive and unpredictable.

Marius Neset now returns to April Jazz for the third time. He previously appeared at the festival with his band Marius Neset Birds in 2014, and in 2019 with his quintet together with the Tapiola Sinfonietta. On both occasions, drummer Anton Eger was also part of the ensemble; most recently, Eger appeared at April Jazz in 2024 with the duo RKDIA. Bassist Conor Chaplin likewise performed with Neset’s quintet and the Tapiola Sinfonietta in 2019.

Neset’s latest album Cabaret (ACT, 2025) is a celebration of friendship and music — and a testament to the quartet’s exceptional chemistry. Recorded on a remote Norwegian island, the album pulses with playfulness, melodic richness, and rhythmic daring. At April Jazz, audiences will experience how this music expands and transforms in a live setting: breathing, energetic, and full of surprises.

Marius Neset, tenor & soprano saxophone (NO)
Elliot Galvin, keyboards (UK)
Conor Chaplin, bass (UK)
Anton Eger, drums (SE/NO)

Photo: Roar Vestad

7:30 pm Doors open
8:00 pm Elifantree
approx. 9:00 pm intermission
approx. 9:30 pm Marius Neset Quartet

Tickets €36 / €31 + order fee (from €1.50 + 0.65% of order), Lippu.fi
Duration approx. 2h 45min with intermission.

Preorder food and drinks from Café Molli using the online preorder form, by phone +358 41 3172025 or email myynti@cafemolli.fi.

Louhi Hall, Espoo Cultural Centre
Kulttuuriaukio 2, 02100 Espoo (Google Maps / HSL Journey Planner)

Elifantree – boundary-breaking energy and a singular sonic world

Elifantree is a symbiosis of three fearless artists. Formed in 2007, the trio creates an electro-acoustic, unmistakably original form of rhythm-based music, built around vocals, saxophone, and drums, and expanded through a colourful and ever-shifting palette of sounds. Elastic grooves, virtuosic improvisation, electronic textures, and raw live energy are hallmarks of Elifantree’s distinctive expression.

Known for their intense and unpredictable performances, Elifantree balances carefully sculpted form with free-flowing movement. Their music shifts effortlessly between precision and rawness, stillness and pulse, often evoking surreal and abstract imagery. After years of shared exploration, the trio’s interplay has become exceptionally tight — the music breathes, evolves, and constantly surprises.

Over seventeen years, Elifantree has toured extensively across Europe and beyond, releasing six critically acclaimed albums, including Anemone (2018) and the double album Hachi (2021). The band’s seventh album will be released in May 2026, and at April Jazz audiences will hear new material as part of Elifantree’s continually evolving sound world.

Elifantree is a familiar and much-loved act for the April Jazz audience. The trio has previously performed at the festival in 2012, 2018, and 2022, as well as at April Jazz Club in 2016. In 2026, Elifantree returns to April Jazz once again — renewed, exploratory, and unmistakably themselves.

Anni Elif, vocals, synthesizers
Pauli Lyytinen, saxophone, live electronics, mellotron, drum machine, EWI
Olavi Louhivuori, drums

Photo: Tero Ahonen