Three of the most in-demand bands on the current UK jazz scene head to Finland this weekend for the left field Tampere Jazz Happening, taking place in the northern Finnish city of Tampere. The Finns have booked the Neil Cowley Trio (pictured), which won the BBC Jazz Award for best jazz album in 2007 for Displaced, double Mercury-nominated Seb Rochford's band Polar Bear and the classically influenced chamber jazz trio Acoustic Triangle led by bassist Malcolm Creese with highly rated pianist Gwilym Simcock and Chick Corea sideman, Tim Garland. Most of the main gigs in Tampere take place at the Old Customs House Hall with an adjacent club space used for late night sessions. As well as the British bands taking part, the festival is also hosting a range of key free jazz and left field groups including the Rashied Ali Quintet, Nik Bartsch's Ronin, Marilyn Mazur's Percussion Paradise, the Matthew Shipp Trio and Jack DeJohnette's Ripple Effect.