Jazz legend Reiska Laine turns 80

Finnish jazz drummer Reiska Laine celebrated his 80th birthday on July 11, reported Yle. The milestone comes as he continues an active career, including performances at this year’s Pori Jazz festival.

Laine has played at every Pori Jazz since its founding in 1966, making him a fixture of the event. He will be honored Wednesday evening with an open concert on the festival’s Lokki stage.

“It’s incredible that I can still play,” Laine said. This week alone, he has performed nightly jam sessions, including a three-hour set the previous evening. He credits his health in part to his son, a doctor who “takes good care of me.”

Laine began his career in the 1960s after a chance meeting with singer Taisto Tammi, who invited him to join his orchestra. His work has spanned dance orchestras, theater productions, and television, though he insists drumming is “too much fun to be work.”

Beyond performing, Laine has been a prominent advocate for jazz, serving in music organizations and as a member of parliament in the late 1990s. He remains a passionate improviser, comparing jazz to navigating a ship without a map.

Reflecting on Pori Jazz, Laine recalled the festival’s first edition in 1966, when he performed the day after turning 20. “The audience here knows jazz,” he said. “In Pori, you have to bring your best.”