Festival year 1968

The two first Pori Jazz festivals had been organized rather informally. Musicians had been booked based on the personal preferences of the festival committee members. Information on jazz musicians touring in Europe was gathered from foreign jazz magazines and Matti Kontunen (music reporter working for the national radio station) lent a hand while making contacts with agencies. Ilkka Karumo and Risto Ennekari who were studying in Helsinki at the time dealt with booking negotiations.

Two successful festivals had spread the word among foreign musicians and so offers of available musicians started coming in without asking.

Just before the 3rd festival a reporter from Satakunnan Kansa made a quick opinion poll as to how much the local people actually knew about the festival. Seven people were interviewed and the outcome was that only one of them had actually attended the festival. Four of them hadn’t even heard of Pori Jazz.

“A tanned young man recalled hearing some noise from the riverside during one summer night but didn’t know what had caused it.” (Satakunnan Kansa on June 25th, 1968)

3rd Pori Jazz was held between July 12th and 14th in 1968.

In 1968 Pori Jazz decided to start granting annual scholarships to Finnish jazz musicians. This very first scholarship granted to a Finnish musician by his fellow countrymen was given to bassist Teppo Hauta-aho in November as an acknowledgement for his talented performances during Pori Jazz 68.