Music

A loose-limbed adventure of the avant garde: This week’s best jazz gigs

Cian Nugent and Sean Carpio go post-genre; Richie Buckley chooses his friends wisely

Intrepid drummer Sean Carpio pairs up with guitarist Cian Nugent for an explorative duo performance at the Model, Sligo on Saturday night

Cormac Larkin's face
Cormac Larkin
Sat Dec 8 2018 - 05:00

SATURDAY 8

RICHIE BUCKLEY QUINTET
Arthurs, Dublin 9.30pm €10 arthurspub.ie

Dublin saxophone legend Richie Buckley’s CV reads like a who’s who of 20th century popular music, from Van Morrison and Bob Dylan to Barry Manilow and Georgie Fame to Freddie Hubbard and Carlos Santana. As a sideman par excellence, the mellifluous Buckley doesn’t often front his own bands, but here’s a chance to catch the star saxophonist in company of his own choosing with guitarist John Moriarty, pianist Myles Drennan, bassist Dave Redmond and drummer Kevin Brady.

CIAN NUGENT & SEAN CARPIO
Model, Sligo 9pm €10 themodel.ie

There’s a lot of talk about the post-genre future of creative music, but it’s musicians such as guitarist Cian Nugent and drummer Sean Carpio who are out there on the front lines, climbing out from behind the old barricades and forging new alliances. Combining the refinement of musical craftsmen and the loose-limbed adventure of the avant garde, the duo draw on jazz, Indian classical, traditional, surf rock and contemporary composition to create a sound that will refresh the most jaded ears.

READ MORE

SUNDAY 9

CHRIS GUILFOYLE
Workman's Club, Dublin 8pm €10 facebook.com/dublinjazzcoop

Guitarist Chris Guilfoyle has had a busy 2018, with the release of West, the superb debut album from his Umbra quintet featuring his own compositions, as well playing his thoughtful, multi-faceted guitar alongside New York drum demi-god Jim Black, renowned US vocalist Theo Bleckmann, not to mention the groups of his illustrious parent, bassist Ronan Guilfoyle. Now the thirtysomething guitarist steps into the spotlight alone for a solo performance in the important, artist-curated Dublin Jazz Co-Op series, that proves Guilfoyle is as fearless as he is talented.

JOHN WALSH'S FLAMENCO QUARTET
Arthurs, Dublin 4.30pm €15 arthurspub.ie

Longford guitarist John Walsh is one of Ireland's leading exponents of Flamenco music, and has written for Riverdance and the National Ballet of Ireland. For this rare night of authentic Flamenco in Dublin, he has gathered a quartet of experienced Spanish musicians, including Maria Delgado, a vocalist descended from a long line of Flamenco artists in the city of Algeciras, percussionist Ginés Pozas, who has recorded with The Gypsy Kings, and gypsy dancer Remedios Heredia, who comes from a renowned family of Flamenco musicians in Madrid.

WEDNESDAY 12

WAX ON CHRISTMAS
Workman's Club, Dublin, 7pm, €10 improvisedmusic.ie

The popular Wax On listening club – curated by this correspondent – gets its Christmas on this month with a survey of well-known chestnuts and lesser-known gems of the season in the company of vocalist and Ella FitzGerald specialist Stella Bass and DJ and presenter of An Nóta Gorm on Raidió na Life Billy O'Hanlon.

THURSDAY 13

BECKETT/REDMOND/BUCKEY/HALFERTY
Arthurs, Dublin, 9pm, €10 arthurspub.ie

Belfast drummer Darren Beckett spent the past two decades in New York where he was in constant demand, both as a jazz sideman and as a collaborator with Killers frontman Brandon Flowers. Now based near London, the uber-talented Beckett is becoming a more frequent visitor to these shores, and for this Irish jazz fans may be thankful. Here he provides his creative, immensely grooving support to a trio of Irish grandees: bassist Dave Redmond, saxophonist Richie Buckley (see also Saturday) and legendary Derry guitarist Tommy Halferty.