Estonian jazz luminary Tõnu Naissoo performs at the Station Narva festival with his latest collective, Naissoo Freeform Quintet. True to their moniker, the Freeform Quintet’s performances remain primarily improvisational—each concert a singular event that materialises in real time.

This ensemble was founded last summer when producer Allan Matsov sought to expand his NooPop label’s sonic palette. What began as free jazz excavations metamorphosed during recording into an electric jazz-funk journey, ultimately crystallising into world-class fusion.

The quintet’s self-titled debut LP—captured in a two-day recording session—features Naissoo on vintage keyboards (Rhodes, Moog Source, ARP Odyssey, Mellotron), Mihkel Mälgand (electric bass and double bass), Meelis Vind (bass clarinet), Karl-Juhan Laanesaar (drums), and Kristjan Jõemägi (percussion). This spring saw the birth of its live successor, exemplified by the originally 11-minute composition «Blue» expanding into a 22-minute fusion odyssey.

Throughout his illustrious career, Naissoo has played in landmark collectives like Collage, Optimistid, Laine and Kaseke, shared stages with symphony orchestras and big bands alike, and even served as resident pianist at the Viru Hotel for three decades. Naissoo’s catalogue encompasses nearly 40 solo recordings, including 16 released for Japan’s discerning jazz. His compositions have elevated countless TV productions, theatrical performances, and films. At the tender age of 18, Naissoo collaborated with his father Uno Naissoo to craft the score for the 1969 cult classic The Last Relic («Viimne Reliikvia»)—that continues to resonate in Estonian collective cultural memory.