A guide to what’s on for this weekend’s Cork Jazz Festival.
Saturday
■ Jazz on the Plaza, Emmet Place, 2pm: A temporary stage has been set up outside Cork Opera House, with acts playing on both Saturday and Sunday.
■ Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Cyprus Avenue: Chicago’s band of brothers do their modern brass thing for three gigs over the weekend, with the two afternoon concerts offering an option to bring younger music fans. Saturday: 2pm and 7pm.
■ Metropole Hotel, all weekend: The original home of the jazz festival has a busy weekend of events, with all afternoon gigs free, and paid admission for the night-time sessions on Saturday and Sunday. More free events on Monday afternoon and evening turn it into a truly long weekend.
■ River Lee Hotel: Like many of Cork’s hotels, this river-side venue has music throughout the weekend, including a dedicated Brass Room with various brass bands strutting their stuff from 4.30pm into the early hours.
■ The Woodford, Daunt Square: The lineup includes Cork swing favouritest the Roaring Forties (7pm) and the London Afrobeat Collective (9pm).
■ John Surman with Vigleik Storaas, Triskel, 8pm: The English jazz innovator joins forces with the Norwegian pianist for an ECM-branded gig that could be one of the weekend’s musical highlights. See p36 for an interview with Surman.
■ Spyro Gyra, Everyman, 9pm: The jazz fusion superstars are far from a heritage act and even have a new album on release.
■ Green Room, Cork Opera House: The intimate bar area is hosting some excellent Irish jazz acts over the weekend, including Sue Rynhart (10pm) and Umbra (midnight) tonight.
■ Kinsale: As ever, the town will rock to its own mini-jazz fest for the weekend.
Sunday
■ Metropole, River Lee Hotel, Emmet Place, etc: Free afternoon gigs.
■ Jazz Gospel Service, St Anne’s Church, Shandon, 10.45am: The New York Brassband join forces with Cork’s own St John’s Gospel Choir. Free but ticketed.
■ Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Cyprus Avenue, 2pm.
■ Airelle Besson, Sebastian Sternal and Jonas Burgwinkel trio, Triskel, 2.30pm: One of those gigs that’s causing a ripple of anticipation among jazz buffs, French trumpeter Besson leads a trio of top young European musicians.
■ Fred Hersch Trio/ Linley Hamilton Quintet, Everyman, 7pm: Excellent double bill with a trio led by top American pianist Hersch being paired with the Northern Irish trumpeter and his band.
■ Elina Duni & Rob Luft, Arild Andersen, Triskel, 8pm: Another double bill courtesy of Triskel’s alliance with the ECM label includes Swiss-Albanian singer Duni combining jazz with folk songs from her homeland.
Meanwhile, Norwegian bass player Anderson has 22 albums to his credit on ECM.
■ Martha Reeves & the Vandellas, City Hall, 8pm: The Detroit legend has a string of hits to her name, among them Motown classics such as ‘Dancing in the Streets’, ‘Nowhere to Run’, and ‘Jimmy Mack’. She’s 78, but still loves playing her music live. See p34.
■ Green Room, Cork Opera House, 10pm and midnight: Cork trombonist Paul Dunlea has been programming the music in this venue all weekend, and finally gets to let loose with his own trio. There’s also an appearance from the Bones of Cork, featuring five trombonists and a percussion section.
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