We’re thrilled to welcome Derek ‘Doc’ O’Connor & Band to The Pav this Jazz Weekend. One of Ireland’s premier saxophonists, Doc has performed with international icons including Van Morrison, Chaka Khan, Wet Wet Wet, Bob Geldof, Imelda May, and Jeffrey Osborne — and now he brings his unmatched musicianship to Cork for a show you won’t forget.

Joe-Armon Jones (Ezra Collective) plays Live At St. Luke's during the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2026.

Joe Armon-Jones is a London based producer, composer and keyboard player who creates in an uncompromising, free-flowing, experimental way, combining jazz, dub, hip-hop, funk and soul.

Maciej Obara is a renowned Polish alto saxophonist, composer, and bandleader, widely recognised on the international jazz scene. He is the founder of a Polish-Norwegian quartet, with which he released three albums on the For Tune label: Komeda, Live at Manggha, and Live in Mińsk Mazowiecki.

A familiar favourite of the Cork jazz weekend, the Des Hopkins International Dixieland Jazz Band returns to the Clayton Cork City Hotel for three days of spirited traditional jazz, with two performances each day on Friday, Saturday and Sunday and special guests joining the celebrations.

Kokoroko are a London seven-piece weaving afrobeat, highlife and jazz into a sound shaped by the city’s black diaspora.

Since breaking through with the viral Abusey Junction and their acclaimed debut album Could We Be More, the band have expanded into afro-house, amapiano and techno through club remixes.

A set of original compositions and jazz-infused contemporary pieces by Rory McCarthy & Hugh Dillon featuring Davie Ryan - Drums and Mikey O'Connell - Bass

This annual gig on the Saturday and Sunday afternoons of the Jazz festival has become one of the most sought after of the festival. Paul Dunlea assembles the best of all visiting Jazz musicians as well as some of the best national and regional improvisors around. Previous years have seen Grammy winners, festival headliners and musicians that would normally play sold out stadiums join Dunlea for this now legendary session.