Music

Jazzing up a 40-year-old festival: this week’s must-see jazz highlights

Guinness Cork Jazz Festival features Stanley Clarke, Billy Cobham and Bowie’s sax player

US composer and big band leader Maria Schneider and her Orchestra headline the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival on Sunday at Cork City Hall

Cormac Larkin's face
Cormac Larkin
Sat Oct 27 2018 - 05:00

Guinness Cork Jazz Festival

[ guinessjazzfestival.com ]

The 41st Cork Jazz Festival is in full swing this weekend, programmed by new artistic director Sinead Dunphy, who is promising a renaissance at Ireland's biggest (by far) jazz event. Evidence of that rebirth is not hard to find, with local, domestic and international stars aplenty. On Saturday, there are two double bills at the Everyman, with drummer TS Monk and London world music orchestra Bansangu in the afternoon, then US vocalist China Moses and Argentinean pianist Pablo Ziegler's trio in the evening. Later at the Green Room at the Cork Opera House there are two sets, both worth catching, from artist-in-residence, Cork trombonist Paul Dunlea. Sunday in the Everyman has sets from Bowie's last collaborator, saxophonist Donny McCaslin, and vocalist Nnenna Freelon in the afternoon, and fusion giants Stanley Clarke and Billy Cobham in the evening. McCaslin also joins Maria Schneider Orchestra at Cork City Hall on Sunday evening for what must be the most anticipated concert of the festival. Over at the Triskel, meanwhile, the ECM weekend features Estonian pianist Kristjan Randalu's trio with guitarist Ben Monder, and bandoneon master Dino Salluzzi (Saturday), then Norwegian pianist Tord Gustavssen's world-beating trio and UK keyboard star Kit Downes (Sunday). Something for everyone, and then some.

Rorke/Whyte/Guilfoyle

Workman's Club, Dublin Sunday October 28th 8pm €10 facebook.com/dublinjazzcoop

Hot off the plane from New York where he was recording a new album, Australian saxophonist Daniel Rorke returns to the excellent, artist-curated Dublin Jazz Co-op series he helped to set up for a no chords, no-holds-barred trio set. Rorke is an adventurous musician, equally at home with loose-limbed standards and free improvisation. He teams up here with two heavyweights of the Irish scene, bassist Derek Whyte of forward-looking Dublin quartet RedivideR and vastly experienced drummer and educator Conor Guilfoyle. Sparks will fly.

Stanley Clarke

Sugar Club, Dublin Monday October 29th 8pm €30 thesugarclub.com

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Philadelphia-born bassist Stanley Clarke was one of the pioneers of jazz-rock fusion in the 1970s, playing a key role in keyboardist Chick Corea's era-defining Return to Forever band, and his solo hit, School Days, remains one of the enduring classics of the genre. Clarke is a unique stylist whose approach challenges the traditional supporting role of his instrument, and his current band includes the astonishing Georgian keyboard prodigy Beka Gochiashvili, so expect pyrotechnics from all directions when this musclebound band take the stage at the Sugar Club.

Erik Friedlander Duos

Fumbally Stables, Dublin Wednesday October 31st/Thursday November 1st/Friday November 2nd €20 (individual ticket)/€50 (series ticket) note.iehttp://www.note.ie

New York cellist Erik Friedlander takes his instrument into spaces not usually associated with the cello. Son of acclaimed jazz photographer Lee Friedlander, and a veteran of the “downtown” avant-garde scene, Friedlander has worked extensively with legendary saxophonist John Zorn, as well as Laurie Anderson, Dave Douglas and Nels Cline. He arrives in Dublin for a three-concert Duo series, presented by Note Productions, which will see him explore the outer reaches of the sonic universe with drummer Sean Carpio, guitarist Cian Nugent, woodwindist Sean MacErlaine and fiddler Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh (Wednesday); vocalist Nadine Houri and vocal ensemble Silver Kites (Thursday); and electro-acoustic duo Teatro Sin Fin and cellists Kevin Murphy and Mary Barnecutt (Friday).

Rainfear/Ailbhe Nic Oireachtaigh

Helen Roe Theatre, Royal Society of Antiquaries, Dublin Thursday November 1st 8pm €10 ailbhenicoireachtaigh.com rainfear.com

The intersection between traditional music and the experimental avant-garde has been surprisingly fertile ground for European improvisers in recent years, and here's a chance for the adventurous of ear to check out three Dublin musicians pushing that particular envelope. Viola player Ailbhe Nic Oireachtaigh has played with art rockers Woven Skull and has just released her debut recording, Oreing, on the Fort Evil Fruit label. Dublin experimental collective Rainfear features percussionist David Lacey on a drumkit of his own devising and electronic artist David Donohue on a variety of synthesisers and keyboards. Anything could happen, and that's the whole point.