Stevie G: Masters at Work is one to look forward to at upcoming Cork Jazz Festival
Masters at Work will perform at Cork Opera House as part of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival.
Kenny “Dope” Gonzalez and Little Louie Vega are the Masters at Work, and they will be visiting Ireland together for the first time in over 20 years. Both DJs have previously played the Savoy in Cork, but never together, and this will be a very special show. The New York DJ and production duo are one of the most influential partnerships in dance music, and have probably influenced the electronic music scene in Cork as much as any outsiders in that era.
By the time I was hitting the dancefloor of Sir Henry’s in the early 90s Masters at Work were releasing classic tunes played regularly by Shane and Greg in the front room. MAW, Hardrive, Kenlou and many other monikers followed, and they were one of the main producers of the classic deep house sound that dominated the era in Cork and beyond. By the time I was DJing myself, I was playing a lot of Kenny Dope’s own productions too, which were more hip-hop and dancehall based, and tracks such as “Get on Down” helped define the back room of Henry’s in that era.
It was a golden era for dance music and even major labels got in on the act, often commissioning Masters at Work and others to do remixes across numerous 12 inch singles. Their work with Puerto Rican singer India is particularly memorable and includes the classic “I can’t get no sleep”, which became a Henrys anthem in both rooms with multiple remixes. “Love and Happiness” and “To Be in Love” remain some of the best 90s dance classics, and have been sampled and reworked many times since.
Kenny and Louie also helped define another important era in Cork clublife later in the 90s, with the release of their amazing “NuYorican Soul” project. This album brought their influences together in a wide ranging love letter to salsoul, jazz, disco, funk, soul and house music. Roy Ayers, India, Joceylyn Brown, Jazzy Jeff, Toto Puente, Vince Montana Jr, George Benson and other music heavyweights contributed to this timeless piece of music, which was played very heavily here in Cork in the Mór Disco/Southern soul and disco era. Jocelyn Brown memorably performed “It’s alright I feel it” in the Cork Opera House during a visit to the first Soul and Disco weekender in 1997, and these Nuyorican Soul and MAW anthems help introduce a whole new generation into the sounds of jazz, disco, latin and soul.
They have continued to be prolific DJs and producers and have released music under multiple monikers crossing many different styles. Kenny has his fingerprints on lots of hip-hop, soul and funk while Louie continues to DJ and release music on a regular basis. As DJs, these guys are grounded in the roots of club culture, and can effortlessly glide over genres while both educating and entertaining the crowd.
Cork is a unique place in some regards, in that both house and hip-hop were simultaneously being enjoyed by many of the same people here, for years when there was division and music politics elsewhere. It will be a fitting place for Kenny and Louie to spin together, and we are looking forward to a three hour set at the Opera House.
There are many other shows coming up too in what is generally the busiest time of the year in clubland here. I’m welcoming some of Cork’s most exciting newcomers to the stage on Saturday, September 26, for a music showcase at the Savoy called the New School. Amongst those visiting will be Louth based singer Samuel Pierre, who is bringing a big buzz to the scene in 2026 with his mix of 80s influenced soul, funk and boogie. Galway rapper Gomie is another who is catching fire at the moment, and his Cork based collaborator Jimmi Jambons is also on the bill.
The line-up is completed by Cork based singers AbbieLee and Yesunia plus local rappers Bony and some of his Kabin proteges Rhymez and Tiny. From Cork to worldwide, the music scene is buzzing with new talent, and there will be plenty of opportunities to see the next wave of stars in action very soon on our doorstep.
