K Quintet was formed in the summer of 2019. Lead by Irish double bassist David Duffy and dancer/singer Ksenia Parkhatskaya. Parkhatskaya a world renowned Charleston and solo jazz dancer was in need of some new classic jazz to perform to and approached Duffy to write some new compositions for trio, quartet and quintet.

The resulting debut album "Something Else" harkens back to the classic straight ahead jazz of the 60's and 70's, with names like Oscar Peterson, Red Garland, and Ben Webster as influences. To achieve this sound the two went to Vertigo Studios, and Ferran Donnatelli in Barcelona, a haven of vintage microphones, preamps, and to tape recording facilities to achieve that classic vibe. They assembled some of the leading jazz players from Barcelona and over two separate one day sessions created these recordings, a mixture of old standards and new compositions.

Read more: K Quintet "Something Else" Album Release

As with most interesting stories it started with a saxophone, then a google search, then an idea.  Roseanne Lynch actor, playwright and partner in Darn Skippy Productions had left her saxophone idle for some time much to the dismay of husband Richard Lennon who thought it was time she picked it back up again. He went out and bought her a set of reads and Roseanne played again.

She decided to look up female saxophonists on Google and found a radio documentary on Lyric FM by Marc Mc Menamin about Zandra Mitchell, Ireland’s first professional female saxophonist. Inspired by the story she decided to write a play about Zandra.

Read more: An Original Play About an Extraordinary Woman of Jazz

Dublin based, Venezuelan guitarist and composer, Orlando Molina, released  a new video of an original arrangement for solo guitar of a traditional Venezuelan folk song on 21^st of October.

The release of this video will mark the first of the series ‘Nunca Solo’ (Never Alone), in which the artist will be presenting musical arrangements and original compositions for solo guitar.

Directed and produced by Orlando and Ronald Guaramato, this video sets the context of a dark and melancholic night somewhere in the Venezuelan’s plains.

Read more: Orlando Molina – New Music Video Release

Grammy winner, Kurt Elling returns to the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival to play Cork City Hall next Saturday, 26th of October.  

The sensational jazz vocalist will be paying tribute to legends such as Nat ‘King’ Cole, Louis Armstrong, Billy Eckstine, Jon Hendricks plus many more in his ‘Century of Heroes’ performance. 

Read more: Grammy winner, Kurt Elling brings his Century of Heroes show to Guinness Cork Jazz 2019

2019 Guinness Cork Jazz Festival Programme is officially launched!

Thurs 26 Sept:  Guinness has launched the full programme of events for the 42^nd Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, which takes place over the bank holiday weekend from 24^th to 28^th October 2019.  

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival is one of the biggest and longest running events on the Irish music calendar. Every nook and cranny of Cork City will come alive across the festival weekend to the sounds of over 1,000 musicians and creative artists from more than 20 countries.

Read more: Must-see acts and events at this year’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival

The Triskel ECM Weekend is an integral part of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival and this year, to mark the prestigious jazz label’s 50th anniversary, Triskel have curated a weekend of cinema and concerts. It begins with the acclaimed John Abercrombie documentary Open Land on Friday 25th October and finishes on Sunday night with a solo concert from ECM veteran and jazz bassist Arild Andersen.

Anderson is a key figure in the ECM stable and has been one of Europe’s leading musicians for more than thirty years. He will form part of a double bill with the acclaimed duo Elina Duni and award winning virtuoso guitarist Rob Luft. Next year, Duni and Luft are scheduled to release a new album on ECM and concertgoers will get to hear their new collaborations exclusively live in Triskel, as well as music from Elina Duni’s album Partir.

Read more: Triskel ECM Weekend at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2019

GUINNESS announced exciting headline acts for the 42^nd Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, which takes place over the October Bank Holiday Weekend.

Giants of Jazz will join globally renowned artists pushing the boundaries of the musical genre today. The line-up features legendary artists including Grammy Hall of Famer Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, listed among Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 Immortal Artists”; Kurt Elling with ‘Kurt Elling sings A Century of Heroes’, declared “the standout male vocalist of our time” by The New York Times and 14-time Grammy nominee and 2018 Jazz Pianist of the Year Fred Hersch.

There will also be headline performances from American Jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra whose 30 albums have sold over 10 million copies over four decades, Northern Ireland’s famous Dr. Linley Hamilton Quintet, who has performed with Paul Brady, Van Morrison and Foy Vance, British soul queen Mica Paris, who has toured with Michael Bolton and Boyz II Men and The Big Brass Band Explosion comprising of the high energy The OhnO! Jazzband, Hyde Park Brass and Les Fan Flures who are set to get the room moving.

Read more: Giants of Jazz among headliners for Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2019