A sisterhood of voices and a double bass, Signe have captured audiences at Finnish festivals and Northern European jazz events. Their works draw from poetry and the unmapped paths of improvisation. Sonically, the group flows and meanders through contemporary classical, folk music and Nordic jazz, and has resulted in five albums and thrilling collaborations with composers Meriheini Luoto, Heli Hartikainen, Tytti Arola, Mikko Sarvanne, Sampo Kasurinen, and jazz artists Mika Kallio, Panu Savolainen and Jukka Perko among others.
From 2025, vocalists Riikka Keränen, Josefiina Vannesluoma and double-bassist Kaisa Mäensivu prepare their next album release and new artist collaborations, as their long-time member and composer Selma Savolainen steps aside to pursue her solo career.
In their latest group release, 'Onomatopoesia' trilogy, Signe explores the uncharted territories of the human voice. The three-album composition is a human-voice study on sensitisation as well as the need for attachment and settlement in our ever-changing environment. Can we adapt and strengthen the feeling of belonging by vocally mirroring sounds around us? Conceptually, the albums evolve from phonemes, the smallest units of speech, into syllables, words and eventually stories.
'Phonemes' was released in November 2021 by Eclipse Music and consists of three commissioned works by Tytti Arola, Mikko Sarvanne and Sampo Kasurinen. Whereas the first part of the trilogy got vocalists Josefiina Vannesluoma, Riikka Keränen and Selma Savolainen to meet with guest artists Meriheini Luoto and Mika Kallio, the trilogy continued with New York -based vocalizing bassist Kaisa Mäensivu. In the sequel 'Morphemes' (2022), phones evolved to syllabi and quasi-words. This album with hearty harmonies and ardent jazz solos also gained nomination for "the Finnish Jazz Grammy" in the spring of 2023. 'Syntax' completed the trilogy with lyrics to compositions by Vannesluoma and Savolainen.
Signe's first full-length album 'To Sappho' (Eclipse Music 2019) gained an honorable mention for Teosto Prize 2020 (Finnish Composers' Copyright Society Prize) as well a nomination for the Finnish Jazz album of the Year 2020. The album drew influences from the survived poem fragments by Sappho, the archaic Greek lyricist from the island of Lesbos.
A sought-after ensemble on the Finnish jazz scene and a frequent guest for contemporary music and literary events, Signe has also performed at jazz festivals in London, Oslo and Germany. The group represented Finnish jazz at the Nordic Jazz Comets showcase at EFG London Jazz Festival in November 2018 and in Oslo Jazz Festival's Nordic Showcase in August 2017.
( Former members: Selma Savolainen 2015 - 2024, Karin Mäkiranta 2015 )
”Signen doo-wop-vaikutteinen yhtyelaulu kommunikoi herkullisesti Kaisa Mäensivun bassosoundin kanssa."
Katri Kallionpää, HS.fi 1.8.2023
★★★★
“Syntax kartoittaa urheasti ihmisäänen ulottuvuuksia.”
Juha Seitz,Ilkka-Pohjalainen 3.7.2023
★★★★
"Kiehtovaa kuulla, mihin Riikka Keränen, Selma Savolainen ja Josefiina Vannesluoma tällä
kunnianhimoisella ja kantaaottavalla ihmisäänisellä matkallaan päätyvät."
Harri Uusitorppa, Helsingin Sanomat
".. kyseessä on kiinnostava, kunnianhimoinen ja tässä ajassa kiinni oleva projekti.
Jo se yksistään tekee yhtyeestä ja tästäkin julkaisusta tarpeellisen."
"Het Finse Signe is een fenomeen!"
"Poised, relaxed and radiant"
Wif Stenger, Finnish Music Quarterly
"These tautly-connected quartet of vocalists—one being bassist-vocalist Kaisa Mäensivu,[...] —conjured up a compelling and malleable ensemble identity, moving between folk music links to classical and jazz sonorities, and more experimental touches. The sum effect was quite stunning, and ear/mind-opening."
Josef Woodard, AllAboutJazz.com
"To Sappho laajentaa kuvaamme siitä mihin moderni lauluyhtye pystyy."
Teosto-palkinnon esiraati