Viapori Jazz: Mother of Jazz

Mary Lou Williams, the "Mother of Jazz", was one of the most significant composers, pianists, and arrangers in jazz history. Her most ambitious work, Zodiac Suite, was composed for classical orchestra and jazz band, with its 12 movements dedicated to the great musicians of the era - Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday, and others - at a time when women's position in the music world was extremely marginalized.

In the project by Aki Rissanen and Selma Savolainen, the work takes on a new form: vocal melodies and lyrics have been created over the original structure, moving Zodiac Suite in a more personal and contemporary direction.

In the vaults of Tenalji von Fersen, the performance serves both as a tribute to Williams' legacy and as an independent work of contemporary art.