On this edition I feature Richie Buckley, one of the leading tenor saxophonists in Ireland and far beyond, with a selection of some of his best recordings.

Read more: Tales from the far Side 24.02.22 Richie Buckley A "true" Irish Tenor

Bray Jazz Festival makes a welcome return to the annual calendar, and has announced yet another great line up of international talent it will bring to Irish shores on the May Bank Holiday weekend.

Missing due to Covid for the past two years, the festival returns for its 21st edition on April 29th, 30th and May 1st - with legendary American guitarist Bill Frisell set to make a welcome return to Ireland as the opening night headliner, at Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray.

Alongside Frisell on the headlining bill are one of the stars of the contemporary UK jazz scene, trumpeter Yazz Ahmed, who brings her quartet to Bray on Saturday, April 30th, while on May 1st it's the turn of Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavsen, who is set to release his newest album on the ECM label next month, to play the festival's main stage at Mermaid.

Read more: Bray Jazz Returns for 21st Year

Double A side single releases from Ríona Sally Hartman released on February 24th 2022, two sister songs called SEED and BLOOM. Available now from Bandcamp, Apple Music and Spotify

“I want these songs to get people out of bed in the morning. Seed starts gentle, and joyful, to wake you up while you make your coffee. By the time you’ve reached the end of Bloom the whole band is in full ecstatic mode, cheering you on so you’re ready to go out to face the day.”

- Riona Sally Hartman

Read more: New music from Ríona Sally Hartman entitled SEED & BLOOM

On this edition I'ld like to pay tribute to trombonist SLIDE HAMPTON who sadly died last November but who thankfully left us a huge treasure trove of his music.

Always remembered SLIDE !!!!!

Read more: Tales from the far Side 17.02.22 Remember Slide Hampton

A complete departure for our 80th birthday, with wall-to-wall vocal groups, stimulated by a positive reaction to the all-vocal content of the 77th Hot Box. So, for the first time, we have an hour of the best harmony vocalising in jazz, from the streets of New Orleans to Carnegie Hall.

Read more: The Hot Box #080 – Wall-to-Wall Vocal Groups

Dorota Konchevska is releasing a new single entitled “Gold Goes Out” on 18 February 2022 on the Max Min Records label. Gloriously dark Polish -via-Dublin electronic diva producer conjures up emotional introspective sketches writing them in a woodland hut during lockdown.

Dublin based artist Dorota, began her career as a jazz singer and has evolved into a multifaceted artist & producer, capable of breathtaking feets of alchemy that fuses her ethereal vocals with leftfield electronic music.

Read more: New Single - Gold Goes Out from Dorota Konchevska

On this edition I'ld like to lead you into the magic sound world of Hans Georg Brunner-Schwer's MPS Studio in the Black Forest where he recorded the Creme de la Creme of Jazz from Oscar Peterson, Hans Koller, Joe Henderson, Rolf+Joachim Kuehn, Baden Powell and others

Read more: Tales from the far Side 10.02.22 The magic of the MPS Label