Stevie G: Cork is stacked with good sounds for Jazz Weekend
Jaz Karis, one of the most exciting soul artists of this generation, plays at St Lukes on Friday night as part of the Guinness Jazz Festival.
First up let’s mention a big show in St Lukes that has gone slightly under the radar. Jaz Karis is one of the most exciting soul artists of this generation and she will be accompanied tomorrow night by two of Ireland’s finest, Jessica Doolan and Cork’s very own Diamond. This is a must see show for fans of soul or what many call neo-soul, and a great chance to see three of the best voices on these islands back to back at one gig.
Unfortunately, I’ll miss this one myself as I’ll be playing a few tunes before Masters at Work at Cork Opera House, which is a sold out show I covered previously here.
The festival itself kicks off tonight with a really interesting show in the Everyman theatre, as Keyon Harrold and Marcus Strickland pay homage to the legends that are John Coltrane and Miles Davis. These are two of the best young voices in contemporary jazz and this show promises to be one of the festival’s highlights. On Saturday evening Cork’s trumpeter, rapper and singer Diamond will again be sharing the stage in the Savoy with another young talent, Cork singer AbbieLee. Shakalak and the Leon Stax Equation will be on stage at the same time in the main room, so this promises to be another big one.
Elsewhere, the Cork Opera House brings back honorary Corkmen the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble for a show with Cooks But We’re Chefs on Sunday night. The Hypnotic Brass have been regular features of the festival since their first visit here in around 2008 and this should be a great party.
The Cork Opera House also hosts Berlioz and Cork DJ Ash Pimp for a sold out show while late night Friday Tara Kumar warms up for Annie Mac on a rare Cork appearance. Boney M have now added a second show to the venue too.
Space restrictions mean I can’t go too extensive on the rest of the official jazz festival line-up but as usual there is a big jazz line-up at the Triskel. Momoko Gill, Riversphere featuring Iain Bellamy and Rob Luft, Jason Moran, Bill Laurance, Jasmine Myra and Okonski are some of the artists performing while Cyprus Avenue’s line-up is a mixture of live music with club orientated events.
The Samborosa All-Stars play the music of the Buena Vista Social club before St Paul and Broken Bones, Yankari, Zaska, Tolu Makay, Melina Malone, Margaret Glasby and others perform over the weekend. Late nights have Fish56Octagan, 49th & Main, Chicane and Skin on Skin amongst others. Elsewhere the festival hosts many other shows in the Everyman, Live at St Lukes and indeed the City Hall, where Tom Keating programmes his alternative Cork jazz line-up featuring a tribute to Cork legend Rory Gallagher, plus live bands such as the Stunning, Mundy and the Boomtown Rats.
The Savoy also hosts Sunday Times and DJ Shy-One, Shane Johnson and Jimpster, Sunil Sharpe, Boolaboom, Syano, SantaMachete and more, while Ian Pooley and Acid Dave play the Pav. The pub trail as always has tons of free gigs and there will be lots of outside activity too on the streets of Cork. One free gig worth mentioning takes place at the Kino on Saturday afternoon, where local rapper Jimmi Jambons welcomes Gomie, Theju Iyer, Smokey, datqidexcel and others for a Sound Feens free showcase.
As usual, every pub and music space has something on, with iconic venues such as the Metropole being packed all weekend. As usual Plug’d records have some cool bits too. Cork legend Sam Healy is accompanied by Sylvan Mayer White and Cal Halpin in Plug’d on Friday and he will also be playing in Crowley’s Music shop tomorrow afternoon with Leon Buckley.
If you fancy starting things early today Neasa performs a live lunchtime concert of timeless jazz standards at the Cork City Library as part of the fringe festival line-up. Other than that, I’d encourage you to simply walk into Cork (or Douglas or Kinsale) and just enjoy the journey, which will be packed with music, people and fun all weekend!
