Way Out West: New Jazz from Ireland

Gerry Godley introduces Way Out West, a free recording of new Irish jazz by the Improvised Music Company which accompanies our April–May issue

Jazz in Ireland, or snagcheol as it is known in the Irish language, has a chequered and colourful history, and has come a long way since it was denounced by the parish priest of Mohill, Co. Leitrim, as the devil’s work at a public protest on New Year’s Day in 1934!

As it turned out, jazz did not destroy the moral fabric of the nation, and went on to become an integral part of Irish musical life, insinuating itself into many aspects of its evolving cultural narrative.

Most of the musicians you’ll hear on Way Out West, the sampler which accompanies  the April–May issue of The Journal of Music, are based in Dublin, performing regularly in clubs like J.J. Smyth’s, the grande dame of the city’s intimate music haunts and coincidentally birthplace of the great lyric poet Thomas Moore in 1779.

Boston or Berlin is the question often put as regards the political life of Ireland. As for its jazz musicians, they are happy to embrace both, and on Way Out West you will find music that straddles the great jazz traditions from both sides of the Atlantic. Featured artists include Mike Nielsen, Trihornophone, Togetherness, Organics, Dorothy Murphy, Francesco Turrisi, Morla, Métier, Kevin Brady Trio, M.S.G., Zoidan Jankolovich, Hugh Buckley and Simon Jermynm.

Way Out West is produced by Improvised Music Company, the resource organisation for jazz and related music from Ireland. The recording will be launched at the Button Factory, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 on April 21st at 8pm with live performances by Dorothy Murphy, Francesco Turrisi, Trihornophone, Métier, Organics and Mike Nielsen. For further information, visit www.improvisedmusic.ie

Way Out West is only available with The Journal of Music. To subscribe, visit www.journalofmusic.com/subscribe

Published on 1 April 2009

Gerry Godley is Artistic Director of Improvised Music Company, a resource organisation for jazz and related music in Ireland. He presents the world music programme Reels to Raga on RTÉ lyric fm.  

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