Stevie G: All that jazz, and a great fun weekend! 

The Guinness Cork Jazz festival is Cork at its peak. Gigs everywhere, all musicians and DJs working, and every venue packed. Why can’t it be like this all the time? One of the biggest challenges facing music fans is trying to decide what to go to, and as always, there’s something for everyone.

The jazz festival is now nearly 50 years old, and many of the greats who have defined jazz have left us in that time, so in 2025 we are left with no possibility of getting Miles Davis, Chick Corea, Roy Ayers, Ella Fitzgerald or Dizzy Gillespie any more. Thankfully, we have had many of the greats in the past, including all of the above bar Miles, and this year we said farewell to the mighty Roy Ayers, a regular visitor here. This writer has been going to the festival since a teenager, and I’ve met, interviewed or seen Roy Ayers, Lonnie Liston Smith, Lee Fields, Robert Glasper, Sharon Jones, Gregory Porter, Roy Hargrove, Kamasi Washington, Branford Marsalis, Herbie Hancock, Jimmy Smith, McCoy Tyner and many more of the greats in Cork. But now, there’s a new generation.

In recent years Porter, Washington, Glasper and others have played here, all modern legends respected not only in jazz, but musicians who have helped shape the face of hip-hop and other genres too. Both Kamasi and Robert Glasper contributed to Kendrick’s “To Pimp a Butterfly”, one of this generation’s most defining albums, and we all know that, jazz and hip-hop and soul and afrobeats and other genres are often happy bedfellows. Modern jazz groups such as the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, who have played more times in Cork than many cork bands, are emblematic of this. Their music is rich in jazz, soul, blues and gospel heritage, but it’s still very modern and present, and it’s no surprise that they will be once again rocking it in Cork this weekend.

I won’t labour much on the sold out shows today, but those of you heading to see Cymande, Pharcyde, Maverick Sabre are in for a big treat. Cymande could have sold out five times over, and it’s gonna be particularly amazing to have them play Cork for the very first time. A group heralded by a generation of DJs who found out about them initially through samples and covers, they have recently begun a nice lease of life, and are now rightly being recognised for their contributions to soul, funk, afro, reggae and jazz. It’s great when soul and funk veterans get their dues eventually.

I’m thinking back to that legendary jazz festival show in the Opera House where Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings were joined by Lee Fields for a double bill of legends who found respect in the industry about two or three decades too late. But as they proved, it’s never too late. Cymande will prove this, and Lee Fields is back in Cork again too. His Cork Opera House show this Saturday will be one for the ages. And at the time of writing, there’s still tickets available.

Another hugely anticipated gig will be the arrival of Irish rapper Rejjie Snow for a show in Opera House. Supported on the night by another of Ireland’s finest, Monjola, this is a must see for hip-hop fans and a long awaited show for Rejjie in Cork. Hip-hop fans will also get a chance to see Pharcyde return to the same venue again, for a sold out show, while Irish MCs God Knows, Celaviedmai and Jar Jar Jr will play the Kino tomorrow night (there’s a big after party there too, including yours truly!). One of the most important lyricists in the game, Saul Williams, will also play in Cork, accompanied by Carlos Nińo and friends, while Khakid, Aby Coulibaly, F3Miii, Syano, Projective and Melina Malone are some of the Irish hip-hop and r&b stars taking to the stage.

Nubya Garcia, Sienna Spiro, Orchestra Baobaob and many more artists are coming through, while Jeff Mills brings his Tomorrow Comes the Harvest project to the Opera House, supported by Cork legend Shane Johnson. Also watch out for Estratos, Smithereens, Jape, the Adrian Younge Orchestra, Vieux Farka Touré and many more! I won’t even have time to mention the non official gigs, but there’s many, and it promises to be a great weekend.

Sadly, the passing last week of D’Angelo continues to cast a shadow over all things soul and jazz for me and many more music fans, and I’ll pay a proper tribute to him here soon. He really was one of the best musicians and singers and artists of the last 30 years, and his influence can be seen by looking at many of the artists playing this weekend. He will never be forgotten.