Lassy–Eskola
Nordic Stew

Timo Lassy and Jukka Eskola have been collaborating since the late 1990s. Their most notable co-endeavour was The Five Corners Quintet, an internationally successful jazz band and a trailblazer for the new generation of Finnish jazz in the 2000s.

Since then, both have pursued their solo careers, releasing several albums each. Their first joint project has been a long time coming, but they recently realised their long-held dream and travelled to New Orleans to record their own music with local first-rate musicians. The result is Nordic Stew, a blend of Lassy's and Eskola's musical experiences combined with a deep love for the birthplace of jazz music.

One source of inspiration for the album is the story of the ship Andania, through which American-Finnish musicians brought jazz to Finland in the 1920s. Now, 100 years later, Lassy and Eskola have taken it back to its roots and put their own spin on it.

Lassy and Eskola take the listeners for a journey full of different rhythmic environments combined with lyrical beauty of the nordic jazz music. Nordic Stew is a rich mixture of rhythm, melodies and harmonies, a dynamic horn front line, and the cream of Finnish younger generation jazz musicians.

Jukka Eskola – trumpet
Timo Lassy – saxophone
Severi Sorjonen – drums
Antti Ahoniemi – bass
Juho Valjakka – piano
Kenneth Ojutkangas – sousaphone