Joonas Haavisto will perform at The Betsy on September 7 and September 8. He is a visiting artist in residence of this year's Perez creARTE program.

Joonas Haavisto is one of the most notable jazz musicians from the Nordic jazz scene. He has played as a soloist with chamber orchestras and big bands and leads his group Joonas Haavisto Trio, which released its fifth album Offshore in 2019. The trio has performed worldwide in venues like Blue Note Jazz Club New York, Tokyo Jazz Festival, DC Jazz Festival, Rochester International Jazz Festival, Nottingham Royal Concert Hall, Jazzahead!, Les Boréales Festival and Pori Jazz Festival. In 2017, Joonas joined the world-famous Steinway Artist roster.

In his compositions, Haavisto combines memorable themes with multilayered, surprising rhythmic motifs and sophisticated harmonies. Joonas tells about the latest album: " If someone asked me, where is my home I ́d answer it is by the sea. This album (Offshore) is about the opportunity, infinity, safety, connection, enormous power and calmness which are delivered to us by the sea." Joonas has also composed music for various groups from the trio to big bands. In 2016 he composed and played the piano music for The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki movie, which won the Un Certain Regard Prize at the Cannes Film Festival.