BAN BAM Commission & Development Award 2020/2021

Supporting women in jazz and creative improvised music

BAN BAM Commission & Development Award 2020/2021 is a new creative commissioning and career development opportunity open to Irish-born or resident female composers on the island of Ireland (North and South) presented by Improvised Music Company (IMC) and Moving on Music (MOM).

Following IMC’s ‘BAN BAM’ activity in 2017/18 promoting women in jazz and improvised music, combined with MOM’s extensive experience with their emerging artists programme, IMC and MOM are pleased to come together with a commission and development opportunity for female and gender-minority artists across the island of Ireland for 2020/2021.

Read more: BAN BAM Commission & Development Award 2020/2021

‘Rainy Days’ is the first single from Mauricio Ribeiro (BR) and Jennifer McMahon (IRL). The pair met while studying at Berklee College of Music back in 2016 and have collaborated on various projects since. ‘Rainy Days’ was composed by Mauricio, at the beginning of the Covid-19 quarantine in Spain earlier this year. In what has become somewhat ‘the norm’ in these unprecedented times, a remote collaboration developed when Mauricio sent a demo to Jennifer to write the lyrics. It’s no surprise that the imagery was very much conjured up at the beginning of the pandemic, when things seemed strangely empty and eery; yet the song offers a glimmer of hope, as we all so need to hold onto these days.

With the song ready to go, Mauricio set about gathering an impressive band of musicians from across the globe.

Read more: New Single Release “Rainy Days” from Mauricio Ribeiro & Jennifer McMahon

The 2020 Guinness Cork Jazz Festival has been cancelled.

In a statement, organisers said: “As a result of COVID-19 and current Government restrictions on indoor and outdoor activities, with the requirement for physical distancing, the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival Committee regrets to confirm the cancellation of this year’s Festival. “

“We know that this announcement will be disappointing for music fans, artists, publicans and the wider Cork community but their health and safety is our number one priority. We look forward to bringing back a strong, exciting and memorable Festival in 2021.”

Read more: Guinness Cork Jazz Festival cancelled due to Covid-19

Jan & Jannike have been collaborating with Dublin based producer Matt Vukos to produce their first official single called MVAS. The new single was released on the 26th of June and this is the video release for the same track.

About the Video

As Jan & Jannike were in lockdown at the time of creating this single and video release it presented them with an opportunity to try something new in terms of visuals. Everything you see in the video tracks with the narrative of the single very well.

Read more: New Video Release “MVAS” from Jan & Jannike

Jan & Jannike have been collaborating with Dublin based producer Matt Vukos to produce their first official single called MVAS. The new single will be released on 26^th  of June and 2 weeks later the video will drop on the 10^th  of July.

Both graduates of NewPark Music Academy; a passion for music drew them both to Dublin, Ireland, where they studied music and honed their craft. A world away from their roots, it was an urban hub that touched their sound, staying with them as they headed in search of a different kind of inspiration, starting a new chapter in Lanzarote, Canary Islands.

Their art is a dancer between two worlds: the urban and the natural; evoking the modernity of city life while drawing from the dark melancholy of their origins. Somewhere between art pop, folktronica and modern jazz pop, they explore a distinct perspective and a fascination with the human condition in its many guises.

Read more: New Single Release “MVAS” from Jan & Jannike

Markus Strothmann releases the title track of his new album of the same name “Emerald” today on all major streaming platforms. Markus was due to embark on a 7 date Irish / German Tour but like all jazz musicians the tour is postponed for a later date. In the meantime this gives you the chance to preview this amazing album with a fantastic band behind it so that when the tour does come up again you won’t hesitate to grab a ticket.

Listen to “Emerald” from Markus Strothmann and follow him on Spotify. Lyrics for this track by Suzanne Savage.

Read more: New Single Release “Emerald” from Markus Strothmann

Mere Nation is the third Diatribe release from Dublin-based two-horns-no chords quartet ReDiviDeR. It follows ‘meets I Dig Monk, Tuned’ (2013) and ‘Never odd or eveN’ (2011), which were described as “an inspired endeavour” by No More Workhorse, “a big leap forward” by Marlbank and “a striking musical collage…recommended for those generally disposed to imaginative, genre-bending music” in All About Jazz.

The group, lead by drummer and composer Matthew Jacobson and completed by alto saxophonist Nick Roth, trombonist Colm O’Hara and bassist Derek Whyte, took a short sabbatical from performing after their last release, and in the last few years have been developing a new approach that aims to give maximum freedom to each of the musicians’ considerable improvisatory instincts, while still retaining Jacobson’s penchant for off-kilter grooves and interlocking melodies.

Read more: ReDiviDeR “Mere Nation” Album Release