European Jazz's Cool 2026: Federico Malaman, bass, Karima, vocals & European jazzstudents on stage

European Jazz's Cool is back!

European Jazz's Cool is back in Helsinki! This annual autumn tour arrives at Arabiasali on Wednesday 21 October. Metropolia Music is delighted to welcome Italian guest artists, virtuoso bassist Federico Malaman and versatile vocalist Karima, together with their international student ensembles.The tour, which started in Rome at Casa del Jazz, features young jazz musicians from Belgium, Italy, Denmark, Latvia and Finland. The tour is organised by Saint Louis College of Music (Rome, Italy).

European Jazz Ensembles: Special Guest Federico Malaman – Modern Jazz, Groove & Latin

Groove, improvisation and diverse musical traditions meet in a concert whose programme moves fluidly between modern jazz, fusion, tango and Latin and Afro‑Cuban rhythms. The evening’s composers include Nancy Wilson, George Gershwin, Mario Bauzá, Nate Smith and Federico Malaman.

Rhythmic energy, melodic depth and musical curiosity are woven together, creating a vivid dialogue between jazz tradition and contemporary sounds.

Ensemble

• Federico Malaman, bass – special guest (Italy)
• Ulla Dubra, vocals – Cathedral Choir School (Riga, Latvia)
• Kristers Dreimanis, trumpet – Royal Academy of Aarhus Aalborg (Denmark)
• Guido Foi, piano – Naples Conservatory (Italy)
• Giovanni Campagnoli, guitar – Ferrara Conservatory (Italy)
• Angelo Camasso, drums – Saint Louis College of Music (Rome, Italy)

European Jazz Ensembles: Special Guest Karima – Swing, Pop, Neo-Soul & cantautorato-lauluntekijäperinne

A group of young musicians gathers around jazz standards, the Italian cantautorato songwriting tradition and the timeless songs of Burt Bacharach. The evening’s special guest, vocalist Karima, has had the honour of collaborating closely with Bacharach.

The concert takes the audience on a journey through swing, pop, neo‑soul and Italian cantautorato – an evening celebrating modern classics, strong melodies and the meeting of different musical worlds.

Ensemble

• Karima, vocals – special guest (Italy)
• Kasper Van, saxophone – Royal Conservatory of Antwerp (Belgium)
• Marco Palmisano, piano – Saint Louis College of Music (Rome, Italy)
• Costantino Angelilli, guitar – Vicenza Conservatory (Italy)
• Mathias Fagerberg Würtz, bass – Royal Academy of Aarhus Aalborg (Denmark)
• Onni Huuskonen, drums – Metropolia University of Applied Sciences (Helsinki, Finland)

Time

21.10.2026 6–8 pm

Location

Arabiasali

entrances Muotoilijankatu 1 B ja
Hämeentie 135 D
Helsinki 56

Tickets

• 10 euros normal price
• 7 euros (pensioners, unemployd, concessions)
• 5 euros students

Advance tickets available at store.metropolia.fi
Tickets from the door on the day of the concert from 5.30 pm. We recommend card payment. If you pay in cash, please have the exact amount ready.

Federico Malaman

Top‑class virtuoso bassist Federico Malaman is one of the most in‑demand electric bass players in Europe. Classically trained on double bass, Malaman is an internationally respected jazz, fusion and progressive bass player, session musician and arranger who has worked with artists such as George Benson, Al Jarreau, Marcus Miller and Snarky Puppy.

Federico Malaman is also a sought‑after educator and a regular leader of masterclasses and clinics. He shares his expertise online through courses and private teaching. With his exceptionally advanced technique and charismatic stage presence, Malaman has become a global social‑media phenomenon and a major influence among bass players.

Karima

Karima is one of the most compelling voices in Italy – a top‑class singer and protégée of songwriting legend Burt Bacharach. She is the only Italian vocalist for whom Bacharach has written songs and whose album he has produced.

Karima’s powerful and expressive voice moves effortlessly between jazz, soul, blues, pop and gospel. In concert, the songs are transformed into unique and instantly recognisable “Karima versions”.

Having released six studio albums, Karima has built a successful and diverse career spanning concert stages, theatre, film and television. She has performed at the Sanremo Festival and represented Italy on international stages under the banner of the Umbria Jazz festival. She is also a highly appreciated artist in China, where she has performed Bacharach’s music in cities including Beijing.

On stage, Karima has appeared in the lead role of Rachel in the musical The Bodyguard, and her singing voice can be heard in the Italian version of Disney’s film The Princess and the Frog. She has also opened concerts for artists such as Whitney Houston and John Legend.

European Jazz's Cool

European Jazz’s Cool is a programme run by Saint Louis College of Music that gives young musicians the opportunity to deepen their skills under the guidance of experienced jazz artists. Unique on a European scale, the project combines education, artistic production, the promotion of contemporary jazz and a Europe‑wide touring activity.

Over the years, EJC has given rise to new ensembles in which young European and Italian talents work under the direction of a renowned guest artist.

Partner institutions

• Royal Academy of Aarhus Aalborg (Denmark)
• Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki (Finland)
• Royal Conservatoire Antwerp (Belgium)

Funding

The European Jazz’s Cool project has been supported by MiBAC (Italian Ministry of Culture, “FUS – Fondo Unico per lo Spettacolo” programme) and Erasmus+.