Bray Jazz Festival, now in its 18th year, has launched the details of its 2017 programme which brings together improvising musicians from across the world. Taking place in venues around Bray, Co. Wicklow (primarily the Harbour Bar, Town Hall, Mermaid Arts Centre and The Well), the festival runs over the May bank holiday weekend, 27 to 30 April.

The festival will open with a free late-night performance by ska band Interskalactic on Thursday. The following days’ programmes feature performances running from 6.30pm to late from a number of visiting artists from Scandanavia (Stian Carstensen, The Firebirds, Malin Wättring 4), the US (Lionel Loueke Trio), India (Shantala Subramanyam Trio), the UK (Beats & Pieces Big Band), Estonia (Maarja Nuut) and Australia (The Necks).

Alongside these international performers will be Irish-based artists, including Kildare-based six-piece Planet Parade; newly-formed quartet Roamer; Dublin-based Palestinian musician Ruba Shamshoum; the Julien Colarossi Organ Trio; electronic/jazz artist Zaska; the CEO Experiment, an international trio joined by saxophonist Michael Buckley; the Fenton Evans Del Val Trio; and Dublin instrumental band Megacone.  

Also on the programme will be jazz workshop on the afternoon of 28 April, supported by Music Generation Wicklow, that explores The Firebirds’ reimagining of classical repertoire in a jazz context. This is a free workshop, open to all to attend. 

The Festival also includes a jazz trail, sponsored by local brewing company Wicklow Wolf, which will see free events and performances taking place in a variety of other venues and bars across the town. Further details of the trail are to be announced. 

For more, visit https://goo.gl/vYSTtr.