Focus

Turn it Up: An Interview with Broadcaster John Kelly Toner Quinn For over a decade, John Kelly has been broadcasting his own distinct mix of music on national radio, first with the BBC, then Eclectic Ballroom on Radio Ireland (now Today FM) and Mystery Train on RTÉ Radio 1, establishing a reputation as a broadcaster who is always at the musical cutting edge, and building a particularly loyal listenership. His current show, JK Ensemble on RTÉ Lyric FM, is a rarity in Irish broadcasting, mixing classical, traditional, jazz and the avant-garde on weekday daytime national radio, and it has just reached its second year. In this interview, Toner Quinn, Editor of JMI, talks to John Kelly about his views on broadcasting, the current Irish music scene, the artists he admires and the listenerships that aren’t being catered for.

Joining up the Dots John McLachlan What we can learn from contemporary music festivals in Portugal and Finland

Sunflowers Kevin Stevens Jazz in Marciac in the south of France, and Dún Laoghaire’s Festival of World Cultures

Repeat Experience Toner Quinn How outstanding traditional musicians separate themselves from the crowd

From great composers to decorative baubels Michael Quinn The great works of the classical canon abide because they have something to say about the here and now. We need to stop devaluing them, writes Michael Quinn.