Kat Baloun | Unna & Helge Tallqvist Band

Two charismatic blues soloists take to the stage at Malmitalo: Kat Baloun from the US, and Unna Kortehisto with her band, the Unna & Helge Tallqvist Band.

Blues singer and harmonica player Kat Baloun was born in El Paso, Texas, spent her youth in Cincinnati, Ohio, and now lives in Berlin. She began her professional career in the early 1990s in San Francisco, where young Kat’s singing voice, stage presence and powerful harmonica playing caught the attention of blues audiences when she was performing with the band of local legend Elmer Lee Thomas.

Kat moved to Berlin in 1994 and has been performing across Europe ever since. She has recorded with artists such as Nina and Eb Davis, as well as Chris Rannenberg. In 2013, she recorded an album with the Finnish Tomi Leino Trio.

Kat is performing in Finland with the band The Frostbites – Jonne Kulluvaara (guitar), Jaska Prepula (bass) and Micha Maass (drums). In fact, Kat’s most recent album release is a live album recorded with The Frostbites in 2024.

Unna & Helge Tallqvist Band combines youthful open-mindedness and energy with a swing that has been honed over decades. Soloist Unna Kortehisto is a soulful performer of blues, rhythm & blues and soul with a powerful voice. Her singing can also be heard in ensembles such as the Saimaa band.

The other members of the Helge Tallqvist Band are seasoned veterans of the Finnish roots music scene. The line-up, which has made a name for itself on the international blues scene, includes Helge Tallqvist (harmonica), Jonne Kulluvaara (guitar), Jaska Prepula (bass) and Tyko Haapala (drums).

Duration: 2 h, incl. 20-min intermission

The assistant of a customer in a wheelchair is admitted with the same ticket.