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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
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- Written by: Red Keane
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: Jazz News
Read more: Louis Stewart’s I Thought About You: A Landmark Recording Reborn
Release Date: May 29, 2025
Livia Records | Remixed, Remastered, and Extended Edition with 16-page Booklet and Photos
“In my book he's one of the world's great jazz guitarists.” – Ronnie Scott
Louis Stewart’s extraordinary career is once again illuminated by the latest release from Livia Records: a fully remixed and remastered edition of I Thought About You, a studio album recorded in 1977 featuring a stellar international quartet—British pianist John Taylor, and the powerhouse American rhythm team of Sam Jones and Billy Higgins.
Originally released in 1980 with some edits and overdubs, this new version restores the album to its original brilliance, using the master tapes recorded at London’s Olympic Studios. With two additional tracks and a 16-page booklet of rare photos and newly commissioned notes, this reissue confirms I Thought About You as one of the definitive documents of Stewart’s artistry.
Read more: Louis Stewart’s I Thought About You: A Landmark Recording Reborn
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- Written by: Red Keane
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: Jazz News
Composer and guitarist Orlando Molina steps into the spotlight with the release of his debut album Autorretrato en Tres Colores (Self-Portrait in Three Colours) on May 23, 2025 — a sweeping, seven-track reflection on migration, transformation, and the emotional terrain that lies between.
Blending contemporary jazz with the vibrant folk traditions of Latin America, Molina crafts an intricate and deeply personal sonic portrait. Each composition is a chapter of his life, composed during different stages of his journey from Venezuela to Ireland, and informed by the emotional tension between departure and arrival, longing and belonging. With striking clarity, the album reveals the quiet resilience and joy found in cultural hybridity and self-discovery.
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- Written by: Red Keane
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: Jazz News
Livia Records continues its run of ambitious and distinctive jazz releases with At Swing, Two Birds by Ronan Guilfoyle’s Bemusement Arcade—a record that finds deep inspiration in the jazz tradition while challenging its rhythmic foundations with daring innovation.
Led by acclaimed bassist, composer, and educator Ronan Guilfoyle, this brand-new album features seven original compositions performed by a top-flight quartet of creative improvisers: Sam Norris (alto sax), Chris Guilfoyle (guitar), and Darren Beckett (drums). The album is housed in a beautifully designed 12-page booklet with session photography and liner notes offering deeper insight into the music.
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- Written by: Red Keane
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: Jazz News
Applications now open - Closing date: Thursday 15 May 2025 at 2pm
Fingal County Council Arts Office, in partnership with Music Network, is delighted to announce the launch of its newly established Musician-in-Residence Award at Carnegie Library, Swords. This exciting initiative offers musicians the opportunity to develop their artistic practice, create new work and engage with local audiences.
The residency will provide the selected musician with dedicated time and space to develop and showcase new work and/or foster artistic collaborations. The recipient will receive an award of €6,000, space to work, as well as mentoring and career development support. The residency will culminate in a public concert, allowing audiences to experience the musician's work firsthand.
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- Written by: Red Keane
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: Jazz News
Read more: Bray Jazz Festival 2025: A Global Celebration of Jazz
As the May Bank Holiday weekend approaches, jazz lovers from Ireland and beyond are gearing up for the much-anticipated Bray Jazz Festival 2025. Now in its 24th year, the festival returns from May 2nd to May 4th, bringing a stellar lineup of international and homegrown talent to the picturesque seaside town of Bray, Co. Wicklow.
With artists from the US, UK, France, Belgium, Japan, Italy, Finland, Norway, and more, this year’s edition promises a truly global celebration of jazz. Supported by The Arts Council of Ireland, Wicklow County Council, and an array of sponsors, Bray Jazz Festival continues to uphold its reputation as one of Ireland’s leading jazz events.
Read more: Bray Jazz Festival 2025: A Global Celebration of Jazz
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- Written by: Red Keane
- Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog
- Category: Jazz News
Jazz Ireland is proud to announce the launch of an exclusive 11-part documentary series celebrating the life and music of renowned Irish jazz guitarist Tommy Halferty. The first episode will premiere on April 30th at 5 PM (Irish Time) as a YouTube Premiere, coinciding with International Jazz Day. This series offers an in-depth look at Halferty’s extraordinary contributions to Irish jazz, featuring interviews, archival footage, and insights from fellow musicians.
Directed and produced by guitarist and filmmaker Peter Moc, this documentary dives into the musical life and contributions of Tommy Halferty, tracing his journey from his early years to his most influential projects and albums. As one of the most significant figures in Irish jazz, Halferty’s work as an educator, composer, and performer has left an indelible mark on the genre.
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- SPONDANCE: Jim Doherty’s Iconic Octet Album Re-Issued with a Special Concert in Dublin
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- Open Call for Emerging Artist/Group Performance - Kildare Jazz Festival 2025