Estonian Jazz Awards 2022: Holger Marjamaa, Heikko Remmel & Lee Pearson Estonia-USA

Holger Marjamaa was born and raised in a musical family. From an early age Marjamaa demonstrated precocious musical interest and talent, able to imitate, sing and play well-known classical pieces and jazz standards. After graduating from the Tallinn Music High School, the pianist studied at the Estonian Academy of Music and Theater, the Sibelius Academy in Finland, and a few years ago Holger moved to New York, where he began his master’s degree at the prestigious Manhattan School of Music Conservatory. The knowledge, acquaintances and experiences gathered there have made Holger a sought-after stage partner both in Europe and beyond.

As a professional, Marjamaa is currently holding a piano chair in a Grammy Award Winning trumpeter Chris Botti’s group. He has performed and/or recorded with Lee Ritenour, Dennis Chambers, Lizz Wright, David Kikoski, Lonnie Liston Smith, John Riley, Steve Wilson, Jukkis Uotila, Ben Wolfe, Mark Gross, Joey DeFrancesco, Chad Lefkowitz – Brown (his big band record featuring Randy Brecker, Miguel Zenon etc.) Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, Dallas Symphony Orchestra etc.

Holger holds many awards in both jazz and classical piano performance, including: Grand Prix at the XXIV International Jazz Piano Competition (Vilnius, Lithuania; 2013); a semi-finalist in the 2018 Thelonious Monk Jazz Piano Competition (since 2019 re-named Herbie Hancock Jazz Piano Competition, Jazz Musician of the Year Award (Estonia, Tallinn, 2021). He has performed across the United States, Europe and Asia, venues and festivals as Monterey Jazz Festival, Dallas Symphony, Lincoln Center (Dizzy’s Club), Mezzrow Jazz Club, Smalls Jazz Club, Blue Note Tokyo, Blue Note New York, Blue Note Beijing, Blue Note Shanghai etc.

Holger has invited good friends and colleagues, bassist Heikko Remmel and renowned American drummer Lee Pearson, to this year’s Jazzkaar. They will play newest work from Holger, but they will also perfrom older songs, that audience already love and of course good jazz standards will also have their place at the concert.