Kaisa’s Machine

Kaisa’s Machine, led by double bassist-composer Kaisa Mäensivu (b. 1990), has performed at Tampere Jazz Happening once before, eight years ago in November 2016. Back then, the group had been together for only a year, and their debut album In The Key of K (2017) would not be out for another 12 months.

Fast forward to today, the situation is quite different. “The new bright star of Finnish jazz”, as was touted by the Jazz Happening programme, is a well-established, New York-based Master of Jazz from two universities in two countries. For three years, Mäensivu has also been the artistic director of Savoy JazzFest in Helsinki, which broke its attendance record last March. 

The now almost 10-year-old Kaisa’s Machine is still Mäensivu’s main own ensemble, despite it understandably having two separate versions: one in the US and the other in Finland and Europe.  

The acclaimed second album Taking Shape (2023) was recorded by the former in New York, and it presents a more experienced and more refined Kaisa Mäensivu as the double bassist, composer and ensemble leader. It is also noteworthy that the record of the quintet-turned machine was released by Greenleaf Music, founded and owned by trumpeter Dave Douglas.  

Last July, Kaisa’s Machine was already recording new music in New York, which will come out next spring. If we are lucky, we might just get a taste of it at Telakka but with the European, Finnish model of Kaisa’s Machine.