The blog is dedicated to Irish Jazz and to the fans, musicians and venues that support it. if you have any content you would like to add to the blog please get in touch.
On the centenary of his birth, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra & Big Band pays tribute to Charles Mingus. In an imaginative first, the RTÉ CO has joined forces with its counterpart the BBC Concert Orchestra to commission a special set of brand-new orchestrations from Guy Barker, allowing both orchestras to do full justice to one of the greatest jazz musicians of them all.
On this edition I celebrate the arrival of Spring, which might be late but always jazzy with music by Tango Transit, Susannah McCorkle, Kenny Barron, Roland Rahsaan Kirk, Stan getz, Marius Neset, Miles Davis, Chico Hamilton and others.
The theme of this week's edition of TALES FROM THE FAR SIDE
Music by Dr. Lonnie Smith, the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Charles Lloyd+the Marvels, Kip Hanrahan+Conjure, Grant Green, Duck Baker, Emile Parisien, Misha Alperin, Jackie McLean and others.
On this edition you can hear some of the greatest Jazz Piano Solos captured on the Blue Note Label over the decades since its foundation. And you can hear music by Albert Ammons, Meade Lux Lewis, Sonny Clarke, McCoy Tyner, Don Pullen, Renee Rosnes, Bill Charlap and others
JAZZ IMPROVISATIONS INSPIRED BY THE WATERS OF MARCH....the theme of this week's TALES FROM THE FAR SIDE
Music by AC Jobim, Mark Murphy, Joanne Brackeen, Benny Carter, the SF Jazz Collective, Anat Cohen, Carmell Jones, Ray Anderson and Pocket Brass and many others.
Tune in, tell a friend and be there where good music is..
On this edition I feature Richie Buckley, one of the leading tenor saxophonists in Ireland and far beyond, with a selection of some of his best recordings.
Bray Jazz Festival makes a welcome return to the annual calendar, and has announced yet another great line up of international talent it will bring to Irish shores on the May Bank Holiday weekend.
Missing due to Covid for the past two years, the festival returns for its 21st edition on April 29th, 30th and May 1st - with legendary American guitarist Bill Frisell set to make a welcome return to Ireland as the opening night headliner, at Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray.
Alongside Frisell on the headlining bill are one of the stars of the contemporary UK jazz scene, trumpeter Yazz Ahmed, who brings her quartet to Bray on Saturday, April 30th, while on May 1st it's the turn of Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen, who is set to release his newest album on the ECM label next month, to play the festival's main stage at Mermaid.
