Limerick Jazz Festival is taking place next week and will present a programme of live and online concerts plus workshops. The festival – which is now in its tenth year – will run from 20 to 26 September and includes a selection of local and international acts including the Conor Guilfoyle Octet, the Vein Trio featuring saxophonist Domenic Landolf, the Joe O’Callaghan Quartet, and the Nacho Mena Band. 

The festival begins with a series of online events from Monday to Wednesday, including two specially commissioned performances by Limerick-based vocalists Jean McGlynn and Liam O’Brien recorded live at the Lime Tree Theatre. Audiences can also tune in to live performances by the University of the Arts Big Band from Philadelphia (20 September), and jazz bassist and composer Ronan Guilfoyle’s group Tudo Bem! playing a programme of classic Brazilian jazz. 

Throughout the festival, live events are taking place in Dolan’s and the Lime Tree Theatre including the Conor Guilfoyle Octet playing the music of Miles Davis’ album Birth of the Cool (22 September); a night of Scottish jazz featuring pianist Fergus McCreadie and vocalist Georgia Cecile (24 September); and the Switzerland-based Vein Trio performing with saxophonist Domenic Landolf (25 September). The Nacho Mena Band from Chile, the Nigel Mooney Quintet, and the Joe O’Callaghan Quartet will also perform to live audiences. 

Workshops
A number of workshops will also be presented as part of the festival, including a session by New York-based guitarist David O’Rourke on understanding arranging (21 September). On 23 September, there will be a jazz workshop in Dolan’s, and on 26 September, musician and teacher Ruti Lachs will facilitate Jazz for Kids!, an online interactive music workshop for children aged three to six years old. 

Commenting on this year’s festival, organiser John Daly said:

We have worked hard to develop a line-up that works in the unusual times we live in with a mix of great online and live events… we are delighted to be the first jazz festival in Ireland to welcome back live music, and that the gradual easing of public health measures has allowed us to cater to a much bigger audience than might otherwise have been the case.

For further information and tickets, visit: http://www.limerickjazzfestival.com/