Cork Jazz Festival – 27th October ’18

David O´Rourke and Paul Dunlea

CORK OPERA HOUSE

Irish born David O’Rourke was introduced to the US jazz scene in 1982 via Bucky Pizzarelli and Les Paul. Influenced by Pat Martino, David has performed with many jazz legends including Tommy Flanagan and Cedar Walton. David leads his own 20 piece Big Band – ‘The O’Rourkestra’, co-founded and directs NYC’s Jazz Standard Youth Orchestra and the Jazz Standard Discovery Program.

Although at home in a variety of musical styles, Cork trombonist/composer/arranger Paul Dunlea concentrates primarily on Jazz and Improvisation. This has furthered his reputation as one of Ireland’s most in demand trombonists. Dunlea has performed/toured/recorded with the likes of Cassandra Wilson, Frankie Valli, Liam O’Maonlaoi, Mick Flannery, Richard Reed Parry (Arcade Fire), Bryce Dressner (The National), Lewis Nash and to name but a few.
Paul and David collaborated in 2015 to produce the album ‘FRATERNAL’ featuring original compositions by both.
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The Swing Jive

CORK CITY HALL

Flappers, Dapper Gents, Sophisticated Ladies and Dancehall Legends will all be here to rub shoulders, mix,mingle, dance and celebrate the golden era of social dancehalls of a century ago. True to the Original Jazz Dancehalls the best nights brought not one, but two top bands to entertain the audience.

The bands performing are two of the most respected Jazz dance bands in Europe: Meschiya Lake and The Dizzy Birds and Gentlemen & Gangsters. Both bands are known the world over for their musical artistry, flair and originality.
With performances from international dancers, we’ll have entertainment in spades. Members of the Irish Swing Dance Community and our friends from beyond our shores will be there to “taxi”you around the floor when the urge to dance takes over.
Dress sharp, polish those shoes and bring your best self for an unforgettable night amongst the Jazz Festival party people.
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Paul Dunlea 

CORK OPERA HOUSE

Formed in 2011 by Cork Trombonist/Composer Paul Dunlea as a creative outlet for his own compositions – The Paul Dunlea Group – utilises some of Europe’s finest improvising musicians to produce melodic and groove driven music fusing influences of Jazz harmony, pop, funk and R&B.

Dunlea is a graduate of the CIT Cork School of music holding both a bachelor’s degree in trombone performance and a masters degree in composition. He has held the chair of principle trombone with the Band 1 Brigade – Irish Defence Forces since 2001.
Featuring: Paul Dunlea – Trombone, Ben Castle – Tenor Sax, Davie Dunsmuir – Guitar, Steve Hamilton – Piano, Eoin Walsh – Bass, Alyn Cosker – Drums.
Each members individual strengths are showcased in the compositions while at the same time blending masterfully into a cohesive and recognisable group sound.
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Ladies in the Blues

THE FIRKIN CRANE THEATRE

After sell-out shows at the Cork Jazz Festival and standing ovations across the country, Ladies in the Blues takes you on a women’s journey through the blues.

From the gospel roots of the 1920s to vaudville, jazz and blues rock, immerse yourself in songs by all those great women of the blues – Big Mama Thornton, Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, Etta James, Ella Fitzgerald, Janis Joplin, Bessie Smith and many more.
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Mary Hegarty

CORK SCHOOL OF MUSIC

Cork’s favourite international operatic soprano turns to the dark side again for another chapter of the Jazz Songbook.

Channelling jazz divas such as Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Diana Krall and Stacey Kent, Mary brings her unique vocal quality to the great standards with a swing that might surprise her operatic fans.
She is equally at home with Gershwin and Gounod and slots into her stellar jazz quintet as easily as she fronts the RTE Concert Orchestra.
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China Moses

EVERYMAN THEATRE

US-born singer China Moses is a powerful, soul and R&B singer capable of swinging with the finest. Touring her recently released sixth album ‘Nightingtales’, her love of soul, blues and pop make her a stand out, charismatic performer whose live shows have made her a hot ticket for this years festival.

he daughter of GRAMMY Award winner Dee Dee Bridgewater and director Gilbert Moses, she has been destined for musical greatness since she released her debut single to critical acclaim at the tender age of just 16.
China’s band includes one of the hottest young talents in UK jazz, pianist Ashley Henry, who at aged just 25 was commissioned as guest resident musical director at Jazz Cafe and Ronnie Scott’s in London, and was nominated by Jazz FM last year as breakthrough artist and live experience of the year.
“A new star has entered the jazz firmament” – All About Jazz
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Brian Deady

CORK OPERA HOUSE

Cork born Brian Deady had been something of a well kept secret at home in Ireland, until his song ‘Clap Both My Hands’ became one of the most played Irish songs of 2016 and reached No.1 in the Spotify UK Viral charts .

His popular single ‘Get On My Knees’ also featured in the hit American TV show ‘Lucifer’.Conjuring up strong gospel influences, at times the Irishman sounds more like he was raised in the Deep South than as one of 10 kids in Cork and his rich, soulful voice comes with a contemporary R&B edge.
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All Tvvins 

CORK OPERA HOUSE

Following a sold out Irish tour earlier this year, All Tvvins return to Cork for their biggest show to date when they headline a standing show at Cork Opera House.

All Tvvins capped a triumphant 2017 by playing to 15,000 people at the 3Arena, alongside a Choice Music Prize nomination for their excellent debut album, IIVV. A string of mesmerising singles as seen the band straddle both the commercial and alternative airwaves, while their increasingly mind-blowing live show has seen them fill venues like Dublin’s Olympia with ease.

Along the way, they have toured Europe, played SXSW, shared stages with Arcade Fire, Foals and Pixies; amassed over 10 million spotify streams; and Lar was introduced to The Edge of U2 fame, who was not only “very humble and a really nice dude”, but already knew All Tvvins’ music. Expect some new tracks at the Opera House show, delivered by one of the most savvy, cutting edge and talented musical duos Ireland has to offer.

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Laura Mvula

CORK CITY HALL

Innovative British singer songwriter, Mvula is a two time Mercury Prize nominee and two time MOBO award winner.
Growing up in Birmingham, Mvula first sang in church and later with all female acapella group Black Voices. By 2008 she had formed and was composing for her own jazz/neo-soul outfit ‘Judy’s House’.

Mvula has directed various choirs and is a graduate of the Birmingham Conservatoire where she holds a degree in composition.
Her debut album ‘Sing to the Moon’ and follow-up album ‘The Dreaming Room’ both garnered multiple award nominations and critical acclaim.
Mvula’s songs explore identity, personal dilemmas and social issues. Her 2016 hit, ‘Phenomenal Woman’ was inspired by Maya Angelou, telling the UK Independent “I try and depend a lot on the women that I surround myself with, the women that through their own vulnerability and ridiculous strength are still moving mountains and doing extraordinary things every day.”
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Pablo Ziegler Trio

EVERYMAN THEATRE

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, GRAMMY award winning pianist Pablo Ziegler artfully blends classic tango rhythms with jazz improvisations, adding a new voice to the tango lexicon.

In 1978 he joined Astor Piazzolla’s New Tango Quintet, performing with them for many years throughout Europe, Japan and North America.
Pablo Ziegler formed his own Quartet for New Tango in 1990 and has been touring extensively throughout the world with his trio, quartet and quintet.
His studio album Desperate Dance was released in 2015 and the live version Jazztango received a GRAMMY Award in 2018.
The trios performances in recent seasons have included Lied Centre in Nebraska, Arts! San Antonio, the Belleayre Music Festival in upstate New York, among many others.
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T.S Monk Sextet

EVERYMAN THEATRE

New York born T.S Monk is an accomplished jazz drummer, composer and bandleader.

He started out playing trumpet and piano before switching to drums and began taking lessons from Max Roach when he was 13.

He toured with his father’s quartet during 1970’s, then later played in his own bands including ‘Natural Essence’.
In 1986, he established the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, an organisation that celebrates Monk Sr.’s music.
Monk received the New York Jazz Awards First Annual “Recording of the Year” award and Downbeat’s prestigious 63rd annual Album of the Year Reader’s Choice Award for the “Monk on Monk” tribute album to his father. “Monk On Monk” featured over twenty guest artists including Hancock, Wayne Shorter, Arturo Sandoval, and Nnenna Freelon.
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Wyvern Lingo

 LIVE AT ST. LUKE’S

Music is the glue that helped Wyvern Lingo stick together. Originally bonding over hand-me-down albums by Thin Lizzy and Led Zeppelin; then starting their own thread of music, which stitches together a rough but resilient tapestry of influences, taking in folk, hip-hop, rock, RnB, all united by the spectral chill triggered by their unique vocal harmonies.

Wyvern Lingo keep on moving ahead of the pack with the release of ‘Out Of My Hands’, their most candid,politicised songs to date. The track challenges both apathy and scepticism, and asks some difficult questions about our daily engagement, both political and personal, with the world around us.

Wyvern Lingo show themselves to be the sharp social commentators that you can get down and dance.

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Bansangu Orchestra

EVERYMAN THEATRE

Bansangu Orchestra is a fresh contemporary orchestra formed by Paul Booth, Giorgio Serci and Kevin Robinson. It boasts some of the finest London-based musicians, such as Jason Yarde, Alex Wilson, Shanti Paul Jayasinha, Trevor Mires, Barnaby Dickinson, Steve Fishwick, Rod Youngs and many more.

While retaining a traditional Big Band format, Bansangu consciously steers clear of the traditional Big Band Jazz and Swing repertoire, choosing instead to perform self-penned compositions and original arrangements that showcase the rich and diverse musical influences from Brazilian, African, Cuban, Caribbean, Indian and Middle Eastern cultures, all performed with the intelligent skill and sensitivity fast becoming the trademark of this exciting ensemble.

The band’s name comes from the compliment Brazilian percussionist Airto Moreira would pay his band in English: ‘Ban San Goo’ meaning ‘Band Sounds Good!’

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