‘Inspired by conversation with Russell Garcia, I have always wanted to perform this score, and this concert is a culmination of many years of research into this project.’

Ryan Quigley

After the sell-out success of Kind of Blue Orchestrated in May, the next jazz classic to get the RTÉ Concert Orchestra treatment is the iconic 1958 Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong album Porgy and Bess.

Recreating Russell Garcia’s arrangement, award-winning jazz trumpeter Ryan Quigley has painstakingly recreated the lost score from the recording. The RTÉ CO presents the first ever concert version. Taking the title roles are Nicola Emmanuelle (‘the real deal’ – Time Out) and five-time British Jazz Awards winner Enrico Tomasso – who as a child actually knew Louis Armstrong.

Read more: Another jazz classic “Ella & Louis: Porgy & Bess” to get RTÉ Concert Orchestra treatment

This is one for the diary………..

New Ross Piano Festival’s brochure with the programme for this September is now widely available. And one of the stand-out pianists is a man who has made a huge name for himself in the jazz piano world. He is the charismatic Welsh pianist, Gwilym Simcock and he will be performing in St Mary’s Church, New Ross on Thursday, September 26th. Do not miss him.

Read more: New Ross Piano Festival 2019 - Press Release - Gwilym Simcock

Paris based, Irish vocalist and songwriter, Liv Monaghan, is to release a music video for her song, Touching Infinity, from her latest album, Slow Exhale.

Read more: Liv Monaghan "Touching Infinity" Video Release

The New Irish Jazz Orchestra, directed by Ireland’s premier Jazz export, Paul Dunlea, returns to CIT Cork School Of Music featuring the inimitable fiddle player and Ireland’s Cultural Ambassador, Martin Hayes as its special guest on Sunday 16th June for a special matinee performance at 4pm. Paul is hot off a UK tour with Canadian crooner Michael Bublé and will be ready to lead this inimitable orchestra. The concert will also feature original compositions from Irish composers such as Ronan Guilfoyle, Brian Byrne, Cormac McCarthy along with the orchestra’s director Paul Dunlea.

Read more: New Irish Jazz Orchestra with Ireland’s Cultural Ambassador, Martin Hayes Returns to Cork

Paris based, Irish vocalist and songwriter, Liv Monaghan, has released a music video for her song, Feathers, from her latest album, Slow Exhale.

The film is a collaboration with Artistic Director, Helen Cusack O’Keeffe and Cinematographer, Kris Tagupa. Following on from Dead Lady’s Cigarettes, this marks her second music video collaboration with Tagupa.

The song, inspired by a real event, takes us on a journey back to childhood, where a tiny fallen bird takes up residence in a little boy’s life.

Read more: Liv Monaghan “Feathers” Video Release

Two of the most decorated stars of modern American jazz are set to headline the 20th anniversary edition of Bray Jazz Festival, this coming May Bank Holiday weekend.

Guitar legend John Scofield,  who has won three Grammy Awards for his work in recent years, and 14-times Grammy nominated jazz pianist Fred Hersch are amongst the big name stars who will play this year’s festival, which returns on May 3rd, 4th and 5th next.

Read more: Stars of Jazz to Headline 20th Bray Jazz Festival

Kind of Blue – Orchestrated
Thursday 30 May, 8pm, National Concert Hall
RTÉ Concert Orchestra

Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue still heads up lists not just as one of the greatest ever jazz albums but one of the most extraordinary recordings of the 20^th century. Now, 60 years on from its release, for the first time in Ireland this Miles Davis masterpiece gets the full orchestral treatment. Top jazz trumpeter Guy Barker has arranged the entire album, including orchestrating solos not only by Davis but by John Coltrane and Bill Evans. Who better to perform it than the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, an orchestra that has jazz in its DNA, with Barker himself conducting.

Read more: Miles Davis Masterpiece Gets the Full Orchestral Treatment