Reval Revival 40 • Jazzkaar 2023

Reval Revival was a Dixieland band formed in 1981 by former classmates at Tallinn Music High School. For some of them, contact with jazz music changed the course of their entire career. Reval Revival’s rise to the local jazz scene was extremely fast; the ensemble became a sought-after performer on all kinds of stages and festivals all the way to St. Petersburg. Their disappearance happened just as quickly, with the compulsory military service in the Soviet Army as the main culprit.

In spring of 2022, after almost 40 years of silence, the band decided to come together again to perform at the closing party of Tallinn Music High School’s Kivimäe building before moving to the MUBA building in the city centre. It was a joy to discover that even after such a long time, their energy from years ago and mutual understanding in music returned with the very first bars played together.

Clarinet virtuoso Meelis Vind, who plays in the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra, has performed on Jazzkaar several times. Taavo Remmel, one of Estonia’s best double bass players, studied violin at school, but today spends much of his time touring with Hortus Musicus. Trumpeter Jüri Leiten is known in Estonian music life as the former director of Concert Estonia, as well as for his leading role in the Estonian Dream Big Band. Tarvi Jaago, known from the band Meie Mees, studied flute at the Music High School, but later became a drummer in several groups. Opera singer and conductor Mart Mikk did not study at the Music High School, but was invited to join the band as a guest artist with his banjo. The trombone player in the original line-up, Mart Sork has unfortunately passed on. The missing trombone is now replaced by another distinguished alumnus of the Music High School, Ants Nuut.

At Jazzkaar, the musicians celebrate the 40th anniversary of their collaboration with a full-length concert.