Sligo Jazz Festival 2025: Celebrating 20 Years of Jazz, Community & Creativity

Details: Written by: Red Keane; Parent Category: Jazz Ireland Blog; Category: Jazz News; Created: 19 June 2025

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.”

A Lineup Worth Celebrating

This year, Sligo Jazz Project welcomes some remarkable artists to the northwest of Ireland, reflecting both the strength of its international reputation and the heart of its community ethos.

At the centre of it all is Artist in Residence Melissa Aldana, a Blue Note recording artist and winner of the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Saxophone Competition. Known for her expressive, story-driven playing, Aldana brings serious firepower to the Hawk’s Well Theatre stage, backed by faculty members including Kush Abadey, Pablo Held, and John Goldsby.

Melissa Aldana Quartet sligo jazz festival 2025 s

Also in the spotlight is Young Artist in Residence Matthew Halpin, a former SJP student turned Vienna-based saxophone professor. Halpin — the first and only Irish recipient of a Berklee Presidential Scholarship — headlines a faculty showcase on opening night that’s sure to raise the roof.

Matthew Halpin Friends Sligo Jazz Festival 2025 s

But that’s just the start. This year’s guests also include:

Jazz legend and Guest of Honour Rufus Reid, returning to Sligo decades after his first appearance at the invitation of Eddie Lee
Rising star Sasha Berliner on vibraphone
The explosive Freddie Hendrix Experience
Percussionist and composer Paul Clarvis
Trombone innovator Shannon Barnett
And many more across more than 30 concerts and jam sessions

Rufus Reid in Concert Sligo Jazz Festival 2025 s

This isn’t just a festival — it’s a gathering of serious global talent, all converging in Yeats Country for a week of creative collaboration.

Europe’s Biggest Jazz Education Event

More than a festival, Sligo Jazz Project is also Europe’s most inclusive jazz education event. Its renowned Summer School welcomes musicians of all backgrounds — no audition required — and offers an unparalleled opportunity to learn directly from the same artists you see on stage.

From 22 to 26 July, summer school participants will take part in:

Daily masterclasses, ensemble sessions, and workshops (10am–4pm)
Admission to all evening concerts and late-night jam sessions
Access to the Festival Club every night
The final celebratory blowout, The SJP Big Bash, on Sunday July 27th at noon

Whether you're an advanced musician or an enthusiastic improver, this is your chance to develop your skills in a welcoming, world-class environment. And all in one of the most beautiful parts of Ireland.

👉 Book your place on the Summer School here

Concerts, Jams & Free Events

From the atmospheric Lillies Cocktail Bar to the intimate surrounds of the Hawk’s Well Theatre, this year's Sligo Jazz Festival is packed with unforgettable performances.

Highlights include:

Official Festival Launch: Tom Ollendorff Trio (22 July, Lillies)
Double Bill: Freddie Hendrix Experience & Sasha Berliner (23 July, Hawk’s Well)
Melissa Aldana in Concert (24 July)
Rufus Reid in a special two-set concert, culminating in a big band finale (25 July)
SJP All-Stars Showcase (26 July)
The spectacular Voices of SJP closing concert (27 July)

And don’t miss the daily Early Jam Sessions (5pm) and Festival Club sessions (10pm) — where the lines between faculty and students blur, and anything can happen.

All events are free unless otherwise stated, and for superfans, a Season Ticket offers unbeatable value and access to all major concerts.

Why Not Make a Holiday of It?

With its rugged coastline, majestic Benbulben mountain, and vibrant urban heart, Sligo is a dream destination in July. Whether you're here to surf, hike, explore, or unwind between shows, it’s easy to turn the festival into a full-fledged summer escape.

sligo ireland

Festival attendees can even book accommodation in local apartments just five minutes from the venue — ideal for diving into the late-night jam scene and early morning workshops with ease.

Final Note

The Sligo Jazz Festival 2025 is a milestone — a celebration of 20 years of musical excellence, inclusion, and growth. From its origins as an ambitious west-of-Ireland jazz education project to one of Europe’s leading jazz gatherings, this year’s edition is a tribute to what happens when you give artists room to grow, students room to learn, and music space to thrive.

Join us this July and be part of the story.

👉 Book Summer School places here
👉 Get your Season Ticket