Joe Lovano – Leo Genovese – Antti Lötjönen – Joonas Riippa (USA/Argentina/Finland) – Savoy JAZZFest

Joe Lovano, one of the world’s greatest jazz musicians, will meet Finnish jazz masters in a unique concert

Grammy-winning, legendary American saxophonist Joe Lovano will perform at Savoy JAZZFest with a unique international line-up, featuring Argentinian star pianist Leo Genovese and top Finnish musicians Antti Lötjönen (double bass) and Joonas Riippa (drums). The quartet impressively combines the tones and rhythms of jazz from different continents: the improvisation tradition of New York, melodic freedom from South America and Nordic sensibility.

“One of the jazz world’s most celebrated musicians” – NPR
“The titan among us” – DownBeat
“Jazz royalty” – The Boston Globe

Joe Lovano is one of the most respected jazz saxophonists and composers of our time. He has released dozens of albums on labels such as Blue Note Records, performed alongside Paul Motian, Herbie Hancock and Bill Frisell, and led several bands of his own. Lovano’s playing combines a deep jazz tradition, boundless creativity and emotional expressiveness that have made him a role model for generations of musicians.

Leo Genovese is known as the long-time pianist of Esperanza Spalding’s band and from the rock band Mars Volta, among others. In 2023, he won a Grammy for Best Improvised Jazz Solo. Antti Lötjönen, who has won the Yrjö Award, has toured Europe as a member of the Jeff “Tain” Watts Trio and performed at venues such as Blue Note clubs in New York, Tokyo and Milan. Acclaimed drummer Joonas Riippa has played in bands such as Plop, Verneri Pohjola Quintet and Mikko Innanen & Innkvisitio, and he has performed extensively in Finland and around the world.

The band will come to Helsinki from Turku, where they will perform on Friday 6 March at the Turku Jazz Festival. The collaboration of the ensemble is built on the dynamics of four strong personalities, where improvisation and listening together make the concert a unique musical journey. The concert fits perfectly with the theme of the Jazz Finland 100 centenary year: it is a tribute to jazz’s vitality and international dialogue, to its history and to its ongoing renewal.

Concert duration: roughly 1.5 hours, no intermission

The floor: R18 alcohol serving area. The gallery: no age restrictions, no alcohol serving.

***

Buy an affordable day ticket for Saturday

A limited number of day tickets will be on sale for €80 for Savoy JAZZFest on Saturday 7 March 2026.

The day ticket covers a concert by the line-up of Joe Lovano, Leo Genovese, Antti Lötjönen and Joonas Riippa, as well as a concert by Shake Stew at 17.30. The concerts will be held at the Savoy Theatre.

Check out Joe Lovano’s playing on YouTube: