Combining high energy jazz notes and upbeat rhythms, the performance is set to lift audiences from their Winter blues

CoisCéim, one of Ireland’s leading dance companies, presents their latest jazz inspired performance, The Piece With the Drums from 17th- 28rd January, 2023 in Project Arts Centre, Dublin. Building on the critical success of GO TO THE BLAZES, David Bolger and CoisCéim present a pulsating, magical theatrical experience, driving a dance narrative between dancer and percussion. 

Directed and choreographed by David Bolger, with music, beats and everything in between by pioneering Jazz percussionist Conor Guilfoyle, this major new work is a colourful exploration of relationships, spirituality, and our connection to rhythm, life and the cosmos. It showcases the jazz drum kit and its elements, breaking down the notion of rhythm through the dancers movements, the beats and the very construction of the drum kit itself. In imagining the piece, both David and Conor, look to question the depth of the impact rhythm has on our lives.

Read more: CoisCéim introduces a new beat this January with their latest performance The Piece With The Drums...

“WE ARE HUMAN”, the new album of Annalisa Bruschini and Silvia Segatori aka The Jones Way is available from today, 11th November 2022, on all digital platforms.

The new work of the Bray-based band, established in 2012, comes from the necessity to express themselves. In 10 original songs, “We Are Human” enhances the intricacy of the human being, how fragile and vulnerable we all are, but still so beautiful and strong. Moreover, they talk about fundamental values such as acceptance and love for oneself, the empathy towards others and the  respect for the Earth.

Musically speaking, this new work sounds more mature, the complexity of its realization fully reflects the professional and personal growth of the two Artists; they challenged themselves with a continuous research of new sounds, playing around with vocal harmonizations, orchestrations and electronic music elements.

Read more: The Jones Way Releases New Album “We Are Human”

New residency and development opportunity for jazz and improvising musicians

Triskel Arts Centre and Improvised Music Company are pleased to announce a new edition of the WRITE RECORD PERFORM residency programme in partnership. 

This programme of WRITE RECORD PERFORM will allow a professional musician working in jazz or creative improvised music dedicated time, space and budget to develop a new musical concept in a holistic way. The work will be developed from its initial stages, professionally recorded, and finally, given premiere performances for audiences at Triskel in Cork and in Dublin. 

With a budget of up to €10,000 for the project, the artist will also have physical space to develop work at Triskel in Cork and at Improvised Music Company’s Space Programme location in Dublin. Mentorship and guidance will also be available for the artist from Triskel and IMC.

Read more: Write Record Perform

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival fast approaches and I wanted to send out a preview of the jazz events happening on the October Bank Holiday Weekend.

There will be a healthy mix of acts in this post, some headline, some not and some real gems but as always everything will be in the jazz event calendar on the website. With over 100 upcoming events listed on the website you are sure to find something you like.

It will be too overwhelming to cover everything in a single post so I will be following this up with a newsletter on Wednesday. Hopefully this small selection gives you a taste of what is on offer in Cork this year.

Read more: Preview of Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2022

Edel Meade received the prestigious Fulbright-Creative Ireland Professional Fellowship Award and Mary McPartlan Bursary in a ceremony at the Department of Foreign Affairs at Iveagh House, Dublin on Thursday 9^th June 2022 - the only professional artist and musician in the country to receive this award out of the 40 selected candidates.

Edel will be based at the California Jazz Conservatory in Berkeley for 6 months from January 2023 exploring the intersection between jazz and traditional Irish song under the mentorship of world-leading jazz educators. Her Award will culminate in a world premiere live concert performance in collaboration with Bay Area musicians at the California Jazz Conservatory in June 2023. Edel is a recipient of the Fulbright Ireland Mary McPartlan Fund.

Read more: Edel Meade receives 2022-2023 Fulbright-Creative Ireland Professional Fellowship Award

STAR TUTORS AND A YOUTH ACADEMY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH MUSIC GENERATION SLIGO

Sligo Jazz Project’s (SJP) International Summer School of jazz and improvised music returns as a live event this July 19-24 at ATU Sligo with a faculty of 30 international and Irish tutors and a full-blown jazz festival hand in hand with Europe’s most inclusive jazz education event

SJP’s Youth Academy partnership with Music Generation Sligo has also been renewed, with 20 subsidized places for young Sligo resident musicians aged 10-18 available at this world-class event.

SJP is a well-established international event running for 17 years, with a hectic schedule that leaves all who attend elated, inspired and educated. SJP’s visiting tutors, many of them major international figures in the jazz world, play host to morning workshops from 10am each day at ATU Sligo, on a variety of subjects, then give masterclasses till lunch. Participants and tutors have lunch together in the IT canteen, and then get down to the business of working on their performance skills in ensembles. SJP Youth Academy has its own dedicated faculty to work with its youth ensembles.

Read more: Sligo Jazz Project Ready to Roll Again

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.

Read more: Bray Jazz Returns for 21st Year