IrishCentral jazz - b5cc3275d518416eacb61d676e8d84d1

Susan McKeown will always “Belong” - a perfect blend of jazz, beats and blues (IrishCentral)

Sun, 25 Nov 2012 04:31:25 PST

Susan McKeownSusan McKeown has just released a tantalizing new CD, Belong It blends folk, acoustic blues, country kickin’ beats and slippery jazz to make a perfect blend for your lazy Sunday morning“Keep your wits about you somehow/it’s gonna be a cold winter/you’ll find your place to belong,” warns McKeown as the fiddles and acoustic guitars provide warmth to the track Tracks like “Our Texas” and “On the Bridge to Williamsburg” are traveling songs that reveal the restless spirit of a fiercely talented storyteller READ MORE

Enda Kenny launches the 2012 Guinness Cork Jazz Festival in Cork (IrishCentral)

Fri, 26 Oct 2012 05:47:27 PDT

By: JANE WALSH

Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny TD, was in Cork today to officially announce the opening of the 2012 Guinness Cork Jazz Festival with musicians Natalie Williams and The Roaring Forties. Taking place from Oct 26th to 28th, the festival features over 1,000 musicians from 22 countries performing over 400 performances in more than 50 venues throughout Cork.

One of the highlights of this year’s festival is De La Soul, the energetic, jazz hip-hop trio from Long Island, New York, who will take to the stage of Cork Opera House on Sunday. Also taking to the stage over the weekend and adding to the eclectic mix of performers at this year’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival are Natalie Williams, Roy Hargrove, Beach House, Gregory Porter and many more.

Speaking at the opening event, John O’Keeffe, Global Category Director Beer and Baileys, Diageo Ireland said; “The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival always promises to be a great weekend and never fails to deliver. The pubs and venues are set to welcome a host of talented musicians from all over the world for the 34th Guinness Cork Jazz Festival weekend. The line-up reflects a fresh, fantastic cross section of musicians, all with one thing in common – a true passion for great music.”

Music fans can also look out for hundreds of sessions on the famous Guinness Music Trail - featuring over 50 venues citywide with a range of music styles on show including Jazz, Blues, Funk, Dixieland, Boogie Woogie & Rock’n’Roll. Over 90% of the music is free of entry charges. Top names appearing on the Guinness Music Trail include an array of Irish and international talent including The James Taylor Quartet, Lee Hedley Band, The Mary Stokes Band and local jazz heroes, The Roaring Forties.

The festival is a long established highlight on Ireland’s cultural calendar attracting visitors from home and abroad. This is the 34th Guinness Cork Jazz Festival and it is estimated to be worth over €6.5 million to the local economy each year. In 2013, the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival will be one of the key elements of The Gathering 2013.

As well as a dazzling array of music and pub gigs at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, there will also be plenty of opportunities to be a part of the action with swing dance classes, Samba school and the chance to learn to sing Gospel and Jazz music during the weekend!

Full details of the 2012 festival are available online at

www.guinnessjazzfestival.com READ MORE

Ireland's love of music discovered - from buskers on the street to Guinness Jazz Festival (IrishCentral)

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 06:45:25 PST

Hailing from the music capital of the States, I really didn't expect to find the same sort of scene in Ireland After all, at home, there's a concert every night of the week, whether it's at a big downtown hall that seats thousands, or a basement venue where there's standing room if you're lucky – and even then, only for a few dozen people, with a limited sense of personal spaceBut Ireland's music scene is as robust as anything I've ever seen It was one of the most surprising things about the country, for me, and also one of the most enchanting READ MORE

Reel Swing puts a jazzy spin on traditional Irish dance (IrishCentral)

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 10:05:13 PDT

While Irish dance is evolving with each passing day, one dancer-choreographer is bringing Irish dance back a handful of decades and exploring a pivotal period in Irish-American history Reel Swing, choreographed and directed by Dervla McGee, is a throwback to America in the 1950s, told through the lens of the Irish immigrants who brought with them to the states a love of lively music and rhythmic dance, and a willingness to embrace cultural fusion in a new country The choice to highlight the swing era was easy for McGee, whose grandfather was a diehard Rat Pack fan She was intrigued by the "looseness" of swing music, paired with the rigid movement in Irish dance READ MORE

Jon Cryer is "jazzed" that Ashton Kutcher is joining 'Two and a Half Men' (IrishCentral)

Sun, 15 May 2011 06:30:09 PDT

It was revealed the 'Punk'd' star was joining the comedy TV series as a new character following the departure of Charlie Sheen - who was fired from the show because of his drug taking and turbulent private life - and Cryer, who plays Alan Harper, is delighted with the newsIn a statement released by his representative, he said: "I'm jazzed about the news this morning that 'Two and a Half Men' is coming back! For all the rest of the cast and crew I'm sure they are equally excited READ MORE

Remembering Danny The Real Jazz (IrishCentral)

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 10:14:43 PDT

By: PETER QUINN

On behalf of myself and Irish-American writers and artists, I'm here to talk about a truly great human being, our dear friend, Danny Cassidy. But let me begin long ago and far away, over forty years ago, when I was a freshman at Manhattan College in the Bronx. (And anyone interested in finding out how a college named Manhattan wound up in the Bronx should see me later.) READ MORE

The Cork Jazz Festival (IrishCentral)

Sat, 07 Mar 2009 04:47:34 PST

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