First Announcements for Cork Jazz 2018

Maria Schneider

First Announcements for Cork Jazz 2018

October festival now in its 40th year to feature US bandleader Maria Schneider, Laura Mvula, T.S. Monk, Donny McCaslin, Billy Cobham and more.

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival has announced the first acts for this year’s event, which takes place on 25–30 October in Cork City.

American bandleader Maria Schneider, who has won Grammys in both jazz and classical categories, as well as for her work with David Bowie – her arrangement of the song ‘Sue’, which she co-wrote with him – will make her first Irish appearance with her Orchestra.

Also appearing at the festival are the Blind Boys of Alabama, now in their seventh decade of touring; Laura Mvula, who was shortlisted for the Brits Critics’ Choice award; Hypnotic Brass Ensemble; US singer Nnenna Freelon; saxophonist Donny McCaslin (also a Bowie collaborator on Blackstar); Belfast-based Linley Hamilton who has just released his album Making Other Arrangements; pianist Fred Hersch; drummer and bandleader T.S. Monk (son of Thelonious Monk); tango master Pablo Ziegler (formerly Ástor Piazzolla’s pianist) and his trio; drummer Billy Cobham and more.

The bank holiday weekend festival will begin with a carnival-like ‘Dia De Los Muertos’ jazz parade on Thursday 25 October, a procession with live jazz paying homage to the great artists of jazz.

Tickets for the headline acts will go on sale on 31 May. There is also free entertainment with up to a thousand jazz musicians from over twenty countries performing in venues throughout the city.

Triskel Arts Centre will also present a weekend of music and film from the ECM label in partnership with Cork Jazz.

Commenting on the first announcements, Sinéad Dunphy, recently appointed as the new Festival Director, said:

Jazz music is constantly evolving so it’s only fitting that Ireland’s largest jazz festival continues to evolve too. We’re bringing it through an exciting new phase of rejuvenation and expansion, so it will be a bigger and better celebration of arts than ever before. Attendees can expect a fresh, authentic and downright jazzy feel this year, as we get back to the roots of the festival and reflect what’s going on right now in the jazz world. There will be an unparalleled blend of headline acts, gigs and fringe events, along with exciting new elements including the ‘Dia De Los Muertos’ jazz parade and a very hush, hush secret jazz trail.

For further details, visit www.guinnessjazzfestival.com.

Published on 14 May 2018

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