Contemporary Jazz Quartet
A jazz quartet consisting of two dj's, a sax and a trombone player. This cool bunch is really hitting that high note and pulsing up the jazz swing. Töpseli is a Helsinki based club concept that combines dj performance with live instruments in one snappy set. Deejays play original, remixed and smashed up jazz, latin and swing records and the instrumentalists spice it up with their one of a kind musicianship, improvising on top of the records.
Töpseli
The original 'Töpseli-klubi' is a club night running since 2005 and has been a strong part of the post-modern dance floor jazz movement that has sprung out from Helsinki. During these years the club has been showcasing new young musicians and jazz music to all sorts of people by combining a regular dj club spirit with a live performance.
This unique combination always creates a carefree flow between the audience and the stage, making people swing and dance while still some of the coolest cats just feel the rhythm and snap their fingers at their tables. Nowadays the experience from the clubs has developed in to 'Töpseli Live' that is a band-like quartet, dropping gigs outside their own clubs.
Dance Jazz Gigs:Even though it might be a hip remixed jazz standard with some added soul clap and a stylish backbeat, a mundane listener doesn't need to know when to applaud, because the mood is set more towards a club vibe, rather than a jazz gig. Although sometimes Töpseli performance isn't that far from a rock concert if the amount of shouting during the show counts. Töpseli always stirs up a party if needed.
Cocktail Parties:Töpseli Live also cools down to cocktail parties and such, by tuning in to a more delicate vibe and squeezing out some extra moods for more high profiled events.
Members
Töpseli Live consist of four jazzmen from Helsinki, the Finnish capital with a noted jazz touch.
DJ Untamo and Jatsipetsi
partners in crime, on a mission to shake that bottom to a jazz beat. Two purist deejays, who print all their remixes to 12'' vinyl records just to keep it real.
Pope and Jay
Petri 'Pope' Puolitailval and Juha 'Jay' Kortehisto are both charismatic and versatile jazz musicians. They have toured around the world with bands, such as Jimi Tenor (Jay), Nu Spirit Helsinki (Jay), Dalindéo (Pope) and Leningrad Cowboys (Pope).
History
In 2005 dj's Untamo and Jatsipetsi rented a whole club space for July to create something else. During that month the Töpseli club was born by weekly deejay battles with sax players and singers.
After the summer Töpseli found a home at Finland's #1 jazz venue Umo Jazz House and started to really evolve as a concept. Afterwards Töpseli has been organized in various cities and hosted nights with over fifty solo musicians from the top young Finnish jazz comets to Polish folk violinists.
Töpseli Live was formed in 2009 by Pope Puolitaival's initiative. A year in the making, the group has progressed in to a band-like group and is ready to conquer festival club nights and different type of events with their showcase.
Töpseli Live video promo
Clip from Töpseli Live showcase in Dubrovnik at Loikka-festival.
