On Wednesday, July 15, Pori Jazz celebrates the life’s work of two significant Finnish jazz musicians. Drummer Reiska Laine turns 80 on July 11, 2026, and the early evening at Kirjurinluoto’s Lokkilava offers a unique musical journey with a sextet assembled by Laine specifically for this concert. Later that evening, Pori Jazz will host a jam session at Pori Theatre in memory of musician Severi Pyysalo, who passed away in April. Both events have free admission.
Reiska Laine holds a unique place in the festival’s history — he has performed at every Pori Jazz festival since its founding and says he feels that Pori Jazz is deeply rooted in his identity as a musician. Joining Laine on stage at Lokkilava are saxophonists Eero Koivistoinen and Jari Perkiömäki, trumpeter Jukka Eskola, pianist Olli Ahvenlahti, and bassist Kaisa Mäensivu.
The concert program also honors other major figures in jazz celebrating milestone anniversaries. This year marks the 100th anniversary of the births of John Coltrane and Miles Davis, and Eero Koivistoinen turned 80 earlier this year. The evening’s repertoire is therefore built around their music. Reiska Laine’s anniversary concert is organized in collaboration with Pori Jazz 66 Association.
Pori Jazz also pays tribute to Severi Pyysalo’s remarkable artistic legacy with a memorial jam session on the small stage of Pori Theatre. Pyysalo was a distinctive voice in Finnish jazz whose music touched listeners for more than four decades. He was a dedicated artist and innovator whose work combined virtuosity, sensitivity, and deep artistic commitment. In his hands, the vibraphone resonated warmly, brightly, and with a unique energy. The evening offers an opportunity to remember an artist whose influence remains deeply woven into the story of Finnish jazz.
