“Her sound is big and warm; her language firmly rooted in the swinging hard-bop
and post-bop traditions of Sonny Rollins and Joe Henderson.”  (All About Jazz)

Hayley Kavanagh is an Irish saxophonist, flautist and composer who has made a name for herself on the Dublin scene in recent years both as an active band leader, as well as an in-demand collaborator and sideman. Her music is punchy, bluesy and angular with “pithy hooks over catchy basslines” (Journal of Music). Deeply rooted in tradition, but with a distinct personality, it has “an uncanny quality of sounding both familiar and new at the same time” (Journal of Music).

Michael Buckley and his band are leading players in the current generation of Irish musicians.

They are well schooled with strong local and international experience and have moved beyond the environment they first developed in. They have formed their own sound and sensibility, composing, and performing at a new level.

Blooming Rooms is a new collaborative project shaped by the idea, echoed recently by Marina Abramović, that artists can shift collective energy through intentional creation. Instead of flowers as objects, this trio cultivates sonic blooms.

Venezuelan guitarist and composer Orlando Molina has emerged as a distinctive voice in contemporary jazz, crafting music that bridges Latin American traditions with modern jazz aesthetics. Based in Ireland for over a decade, he combines sophistication, narrative depth, and instrumental mastery.

Yumi Ito uses her voice to create worlds beyond all boundaries. The Swiss-Polish-Japanese musician is considered one of the most distinctive voices in vocal improvisation. She moves effortlessly between jazz, art pop, and neoclassical music—as if Tori Amos and Norah Jones had written a Debussy biopic with Ólafur Arnalds’ music.

The Teen Spirit Jazz Hub welcomes young musicians aged 13-18 to develop performance skills and explore jazz repertoire, improvisation and technique. The ensemble is led by Diarmuid Lally and is delivered in partnership with Riverbank Arts Centre, participants rehearse monthly in a state-of-the-art theatre space and benefit from the valuable insights of Riverbank’s creative team.

Pianist Greg Felton, bassist Cormac OBrien and drummer Matthew Jacobson have accumulated over 25 years of history as collaborators and friends and have been involved in many of the most artistically successful projects in creative Irish music in that time.

Join us on Thursday, 30th of April at 7.00pm for a very special International Jazz Day celebration at IADT, Dún Laoghaire.

This year’s concert promises to be an unforgettable evening for performers and audiences alike. Marking International Jazz Day 2026, the event carries particular significance as it will be the first-ever student jazz performance in our new home on the IADT campus.

Bray Jazz will showcase some of the brightest and best of the next generation of Irish jazz at this afternoon showcase of ensemble music by graduates of the Dublin City University (DCU) BA in Jazz and Contemporary Music Performance programme.

A triple-harpist, singer and sonic explorer whose performances feel at once ancient yet utterly contemporary, Cerys Hafana’s music honours old songs and storytelling from Wales in a remarkable way.

Tommy Halferty has been instrumental in shaping the sound of Irish jazz, a guitarist who has been at the forefront of a vibrant jazz scene on this island for over half a century.

Opening presentation in double bill with Fred Hersch Trio

Guitarist, composer and author, Mike Nielsen is a leading teacher of jazz guitar in Ireland. His unique style is influenced by jazz, classical, flamenco, Irish and world music genres.

A towering figure of contemporary jazz whose influence spans generations, Fred Hersch has shaped the language of the modern piano trio throughout a career marked by continuous reinvention.

Havana-born pianist Harold López-Nussa’s music pulses with the richness of Cuban music, with its distinct combination of classical, folk and popular music elements, as well as its embrace of jazz improvisation. 

ÓNinaÓ are a captivating six-piece who blend traditional Brazilian rhythms, including samba and bossa nova, with bluesly guitars, electronics and pyschedelic rock.