Irish jazz guitarist Hugh Buckley brings a fresh spin on familiar tunes from the 60s and 70s with Purple Dayz, his latest album. Known for his skilled interpretations of jazz standards and original compositions, Buckley ventures into pop and rock for this project, reimagining iconic songs from artists like the Isley Brothers, Jimmy Webb, Labi Siffre, the Beatles, and Jimi Hendrix. Joined by Scott Flanigan on organ and Shane O'Donovan on drums, Buckley forms an organ trio that breathes new life into these beloved tracks, infusing them with jazz textures and dynamic rhythmic twists.

A stand-out feature of Purple Dayz is the contribution of Hugh's son, Eoghan Buckley, who makes his vocal debut on two tracks, Wake Up Everybody and Imagine. The inclusion of vocals adds another layer of expressiveness, with Eoghan lending heartfelt delivery to John Lennon's Imagine, which Buckley has uniquely re-harmonized into a minor key for a darker, introspective take.

Read more: Exploring New Horizons: Hugh Buckley's Purple Dayz Revisits the Classics

November 5th, 2024. We are about to finish the search for the best young jazz musician in Ireland!

Limerick Jazz will host Young Irish Jazz Musician 2024 in University Concert Hall, Limerick on the evening of Sunday 17th November 2024. Finalists will perform with a professional house band before an expert panel of judges and a live audience. The final starts at 7.30pm and tickets are €10.00.

Young Irish Jazz Musician is a showcase for the best of emerging jazz talent across the island of Ireland. At the inaugural 2022 event the award went to pianist Nils Kavanagh from Sligo. Nils has gone on to a national tour and was Young Artist in Residence at the Sligo Jazz Festival in 2023. Limerick Jazz is delighted to announce that world renowned Limerick musician and composer Bill Whelan has agreed to adjudicate the event again. 

Read more: Young Irish Jazz Musician National Event comes to University Concert Hall Limerick on November 17th

Critically acclaimed Dublin jazz-folk singer and songwriter Sue Rynhart is set to launch her latest album, Say Pluto, with a highly anticipated live performance at the Hugh Lane Gallery in Dublin on October 27th. This new release, inspired by Gothic tales and featuring collaborations with award-winning Welsh jazz pianist Huw Warren and double bassist Dan Bodwell, marks an exciting exploration of folk influences within Rynhart’s well-established jazz roots.

Say Pluto is the third album from Rynhart, whose debut Crossings earned a nomination for Best Jazz Album of the Year in 2014 and brought her wide recognition across Ireland’s jazz community. Moving in a new direction, Say Pluto integrates haunting themes inspired by Gothic literature—hauntings, isolation, renewal, and empowerment. Rynhart elaborated on her inspiration, revealing that much of the album's creative foundation emerged during her artist residency at the Centre Culturel Irlandais in Paris:

Read more: Sue Rynhart Releases New Album “Say Pluto” – A Journey Through Jazz and Gothic Folk

The 46th annual Guinness Cork Jazz Festival officially kicked off in style this evening, with an electrifying opening event at the 85 Years of Blue Note Exhibition at St Peters.  Attended by 150 festival supporters, the evening marked the start of Ireland’s biggest jazz celebration, promising five days of world-class music, soul, and exciting performances.

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2024 features world-class international jazz greats mixed with rising Irish talent and artists pushing the boundaries of the genre. Gregory Porter, Mary Coughlan, Buena Vista All Stars, Les Amazones d’Afrique, and Le Boom feature alongside Hot Chip, Kean Kavanagh, Gaby Moreno, the X Collective, among many others.

In a delightful surprise, Grammy-winning jazz artist Gregory Porter made a special appearance at the launch event ahead of his sold-out show at Cork Opera House. 

Read more: Gregory Porter makes surprise appearance at opening event of Guinness Cork Jazz Festival

Jazz enthusiasts are in for a treat this November with the remastered and extended reissue of Acoustic Guitar Duets, a celebrated collaboration between two of jazz guitar’s finest, Louis Stewart and Martin Taylor. Originally recorded in Dublin’s Trend Studios in 1985 and first released in 1986, this new version, courtesy of Livia Records, is set for release on November 8, 2024. The reissue promises enhanced sound quality, an additional track, and a beautifully crafted 16-page booklet containing new photographs and expanded sleeve notes.

A Historic Collaboration

The roots of Acoustic Guitar Duets can be traced back to the early 1980s, when Martin Taylor toured with legendary violinist Stephane Grappelli. Louis Stewart, already a well-established guitarist, joined the tour in the mid-1980s, and the two quickly formed a dynamic duo. Their shared understanding of jazz standards, bebop classics, and even traditional folk tunes led to the creation of this intimate studio session, capturing their fluid interplay and effortless musicianship.

Read more: Louis Stewart and Martin Taylor’s Acoustic Guitar Duets Reissue: A Masterpiece Revisited

The search for Ireland’s best young jazz musician continues!

Limerick Jazz will host Young Irish Jazz Musician 2024 in University Concert Hall, Limerick on the evening of Sunday 17th November 2024. Finalists will perform with a professional house band before an expert panel of judges and a live audience.

Young Irish Jazz Musician is a showcase for the best of emerging jazz talent across the island of Ireland. At the inaugural 2022 event the award went to pianist Nils Kavanagh from Sligo. Nils has gone on to a national tour and was Young Artist in Residence at the Sligo Jazz Festival in 2023.

Read more: Judges Announced for Young Irish Jazz Musician 2024

For the first time ever, the legendary Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra will be performing in Ireland, an unmissable occasion for jazz lovers! Dublinjazz.ie is thrilled to present "Jazz at Lincoln Center with Wynton Marsalis" at the iconic National Concert Hall on [DATE TBD], 2025 at 8:00 pm.

This historic event promises to be a memorable night, featuring one of the world’s most celebrated jazz orchestras led by Marsalis himself—a musician whose influence on jazz has been immeasurable over the past four decades. With a ticket price range of €40.00 to €95.00, available from [NCH.ie], this performance offers a rare opportunity to experience jazz at its highest level.

Read more: Wynton Marsalis & Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra - A Landmark Jazz Event in Dublin