Part 2

How much potential for something “new” is there still in jazz? What could this “new” look like?

I believe there is still enormous potential for something new in jazz. One of the reasons jazz has remained relevant for so long is its openness to change and its ability to absorb influences from different cultures and genres.

The essence of jazz—improvisation, creativity, interaction, and personal expression—will always remain important, but the musical language continues to evolve. We already hear new rhythmic concepts, expanded harmonic approaches, influences from world music, electronic music, classical music, and many other genres.

For me, something new in jazz does not necessarily mean abandoning tradition. Rather, it means finding new ways to tell stories and express ideas while staying connected to the spirit of the music. The future of jazz may involve new sounds, new forms of interaction, and new ways of connecting with audiences, but its core values of freedom, creativity, and communication will remain the same.

That is what makes jazz so exciting: there will always be unexplored territory waiting to be discovered.

For many artists, life-changing musical experiences take place live. How do you see that yourself?

Playing live is definitely different from playing in the studio or practicing in a rehearsal room.

What I feel most strongly during a live performance is the energy shared between the musicians on stage and the audience. People come to a concert to listen, experience, and enjoy the music, and that creates a unique atmosphere that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

For me, performing live is a form of communication. Through the music, I can express what I want to say and share emotions, ideas, and stories without words. It feels like having a conversation with the audience, where the energy flows in both directions. Their reactions, attention, and presence influence the performance, and every concert becomes a unique experience.

That connection and the opportunity to communicate something meaningful through music are among the most rewarding aspects of being a musician.
 
How, would you say are your live performances and your recording projects connected at the moment? How do they mutually influence and feed off each other?  

My live performances and recording projects are very closely connected and constantly influence one another.

When I perform live, I often discover new ideas, different ways of phrasing a melody, or new directions for improvisation that later find their way into my compositions and recordings. Playing the music in front of an audience allows me to experience how it develops naturally over time.

The process also works in the opposite direction. When I compose and record new music, I bring those ideas to the stage, where they continue to evolve through interaction with the other musicians. Because jazz is based on improvisation, the pieces are never completely fixed.

Every performance reveals new possibilities and often changes the way I hear the music.

Improvisation is obviously an essential element of jazz, but I would assume that just like composition, it is transforming. How do you feel has the role of improvisation changed in jazz?

Composition and improvisation are closely connected. Composition is the process of developing and organizing musical ideas thoughtfully, while improvisation is often described as composition in the moment. Both involve creativity, expression, and storytelling.

I believe improvisation plays the same essential role in jazz today as it did in the past. It remains one of the defining elements of the music and a way for musicians to express their individual voices. What has changed over time is the musical language surrounding it. Contemporary jazz often incorporates more complex rhythms, advanced harmonic concepts, and a greater use of outside playing and modern melodic approaches.

Despite these developments, the essence of improvisation remains the same: creating music spontaneously, reacting to the moment, and communicating with other musicians and the audience.

What, would you say, are the key ideas behind your approach to improvisation?

My approach is strongly influenced by studying jazz harmony and improvisation, including courses at Berklee College of Music. I spend a lot of time practicing scales, arpeggios, harmony, and technique. Some people see these things as purely technical exercises, but for me they are tools of expression.

I often compare music to language. If we want to express a thought, we need words and vocabulary. Even if we know exactly what we want to say, it is difficult to communicate it without knowing the language. In the same way, scales, arpeggios, harmonic knowledge, and technique provide the vocabulary that allows me to express musical ideas freely. The more fluent that vocabulary becomes, the more naturally I can communicate through improvisation.

At the same time, technique is never the final goal. It is a means of expressing emotions, ideas, and stories. When I improvise, I try to combine that technical foundation with intuition, interaction, and emotion, creating something that is both spontaneous and meaningful.

Are there approaches, artists, festivals, labels, spaces or anyone/-thing else out there who you feel deserve a shout out for taking jazz into the future?

There are many artists, festivals, labels, and organizations that are actively shaping the future of jazz and creating space for new ideas and artistic voices. I particularly admire musicians who are not afraid to explore new directions and bring influences from different genres and cultures into their music while maintaining a strong sense of individuality.

I think festivals, clubs, and creative spaces play a crucial role in shaping the future of jazz. They provide opportunities for musicians to experiment, collaborate, present original music, and connect with audiences. Places that encourage artistic freedom and support new projects are especially important. I am also grateful for the support of OSA, which awarded a grant for my debut album Behind the Universe. Support like this helps artists bring ambitious creative projects to life.

I believe that the future of jazz will be shaped by artists who are willing to take risks, develop their own voice, and tell their own stories through music.

The Montreux Festival intends to preserve its archive of recordings for future generations. Do you personally feels it's important that everything should remain available forever - or is there something to be said for letting beautiful moments pass and linger in the memories of those that experienced them?

I think both perspectives are important.

On one hand, I believe it is valuable to preserve recordings and archives for future generations. They document musical history, inspire new musicians, and allow people to discover performances they otherwise would never have had the opportunity to hear. In that sense, I think initiatives such as the Montreux archive are a wonderful idea.

On the other hand, there is something very special about live music that can never be fully captured in a recording. A concert is a unique moment shared between the musicians and the audience. The energy, atmosphere, and emotions of that particular evening exist only once. Even if a performance is recorded, the actual experience of being there remains unique.

As a jazz musician, I especially value that aspect of impermanence. Improvisation happens in the moment, and no solo is ever played exactly the same way twice. Some of the most beautiful musical moments live only in the memories of those who experienced them. I think that is part of what makes live music so meaningful.

So while I strongly support preserving recordings for future generations, I also believe there is beauty in knowing that some moments belong only to that particular place, time, and audience. The recording can preserve the music, but not the entire experience.