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- Written by: Daniel Rorke
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: Album Reviews
Read more: Album Review: Organ Freeman - Busywork
Charlie Moon: Guitar & Voice
Darragh Hennessy: Organ
Dominic Mullan: Drums
Michael Buckley: Tenor Saxophone
A residency is a great thing for a jazz ensemble. In fact, I would go so far as to say that it is a vital thing, not only for the musicians involved, but also for the scene writ large. Organ Freeman’s weekly hit at The Big Romance every Sunday in Parnell Street has evolved into a hang for many musicians that strengthens the community and brings everyone together to exchange witticisms and merriment. I have always considered jazz to be an oral tradition, or perhaps more realistically have aspects analogous to oral traditions insofar that it requires exchange in person and on the bandstand. You can’t learn it from a book, you have to be in the same room as the music.
I once read an interview with Spike Wilner, the piano player from New York and the manager of Smalls Jazz Club, where he was talking about young musicians who sometimes ask him about how to “break into the scene”. His advice was simple: be on the scene. If you don’t hang, you won’t be called. It is indeed simple. Therefore, for the healthy development of the Dublin scene places like The Big Romance and Frankie Ryans, gigs that are less concerts and more sessions with lots of musicians lurking around, are vital. Don’t look to the universities, least of all this one, because they can’t and don’t replace this. If I ever inherit lots of money from a lost aunty in Leitrim, this sort of place is what I would buy.
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- Written by: Werner Lewon
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: All Other Jazz
Read more: Tales from the far Side 24.07.25 Another magic ride on the Jazz Train
On this edition I’d like to invite you for another colourful and exciting ride on the Jazz Train into the magic wonderland of Jazz. So please hop on board for some great music by Julian Cannonball Adderley, Duke Ellington, Johnny Hodges, Clifford Brown, Bobby McFerrin, Ran Blake, Jay Anderson, Cedar Walton, Bob Berg, Archie Shepp and others.
Read more: Tales from the far Side 24.07.25 Another magic ride on the Jazz Train
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- Written by: Red Keane
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: Jazz News
Music Network and Ionad Cultúrtha wish to provide a significant development opportunity specifically for a professional musician who is autistic/a person with autism and who has a strong track record in music performance.
This opportunity recognises that many such musicians face barriers toward career progression that others may not. The main purpose of the residency is to provide time and space for a Musician-in-Residence to develop their practice intensively.
Through this opportunity, Music Network and Ionad Cultúrtha are seeking to make space for social change in the music sector in general and hope to learn from the Musician-in-Residence how they can better facilitate and include autistic people/people with autism in their own programmes and in the wider sector, both in performance and educational environments.
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- Written by: Werner Lewon
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: All Other Jazz
Read more: Tales from the far Side 17.07.25 Sligo Jazz 2025 is on its way
Another glimpse at the 2025 Sligo Summer School and Jazz Festival, a beacon and Summer Highlight of Jazz in Ireland, check out www.sligojazz.ie, some of its artists featured on this week's show with music by Rufus Reid, John Goldsby, Melissa Aldana, Michael Buckley's Ebb and Flow, Ant Law+Brigitte Beraha, Shannon Barrett and others.
Read more: Tales from the far Side 17.07.25 Sligo Jazz 2025 is on its way
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- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: The Hot Box
Read more: The Hot Box #141 – A Gershwin Celebration
In this slightly different edition of The Hot Box, Donald Helme takes a detour through the timeless melodies of one of jazz's most enduring composers: George Gershwin. Inspired by the brand new release The Man I Love from British pianist Gabriel Latchin,
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- Written by: Werner Lewon
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: All Other Jazz
Read more: Tales from the far Side 19.06.25 First glimpse at Sligo Jazz 2025
On this edition I have a first glimpse at this year's Sligo Summer School and Jazz Festival celebrating its 20th Anniversary with another line-up second to none, music by Rufus Reid, Melissa Aldana, Freddie Hendrix, Pablo Held, Sash Berliner, Scott Flanagan, Sun-Mi Hong and others.
Read more: Tales from the far Side 19.06.25 First glimpse at Sligo Jazz 2025
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- Written by: Red Keane
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: Jazz News
Read more: Sligo Jazz Festival 2025: Celebrating 20 Years of Jazz, Community & Creativity
Jazz is the teacher. That’s the message running through this year’s Sligo Jazz Festival, which returns from 22–27 July 2025, marking its 20th anniversary with a week-long celebration of boundary-breaking performance, deep musical exchange, and serious good vibes.
Kicking off with a programme launch and live performance on Thursday, June 12th at Lillies Cocktail Bar, the festival gets its first spark from UK guitarist Ant Law and vocalist Brigitte Beraha, two of the many creative voices shaping this year’s programme. The evening will also unveil the full SJP 2025 schedule — and what a schedule it is.
“Funk may be the preacher but jazz is the teacher,” writes Stephen Graham in the official festival programme foreword. “Whether a learner or observer, the Sligo Jazz Project’s faculty — its biggest ever — sends a signed, sealed, delivered message hand delivered person to person, generation to generation, musician to musician.”
Read more: Sligo Jazz Festival 2025: Celebrating 20 Years of Jazz, Community & Creativity
