Cork gears up for 45th Jazz Festival

The Pharcyde x Souls of Mischief, Mr. Scruff and Vieux Farka Touré, Soft Boy Records presents Yenkee, Kean Kavanagh & Five to Two and many more just added to the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival line-up which includes Macy Gray, Corinne Bailey Rae, Morcheeba, Matthew Halsall, Gilles Peterson, Kurt Elling, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, Fred Wesley & The New JBs, Adam Ben Ezra & more!

New acts have been announced to the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival line-up over the October bank holiday weekend (Thursday 26th October to Monday 30th October 2023).   

At the programme launch of the festival at Cyprus Avenue Cork this evening, Festival Director Mark Murphy confirmed that The Pharcyde, Mr. Scruff and Vieux Farka Touré will join the stellar acts announced earlier this summer.  

New acts announced include:

• Thurs: Hailu Mergia – Support from moondiver – Live at St Lukes
• Fri: The Pharcyde – Souls of Mischief – Cork Opera House
• Fri-Sun:  Jazz Boat Journey with Jerron Paxton – Cork Harbour Cruises
• Sat: Soft Boy Records presents: Yenkee, Kean Kavanagh, Five to Two + Very Special Guest – The Everyman
• Sat: Luke Una + Mr Scruff – Cyprus Avenue
• Sat:  Hypnotic Brass Ensemble (a Gorillaz band) will also play Live at St Lukes with a spiritual jazz set.
• Sun: The Scratch – Cork Opera House
• Sun: Vieux Farka Touré  – Cyprus Avenue

Tickets will go on sale this Friday, 25th August, at 10:00am on www.guinnesscorkjazz.com.

The jam-packed weekend of eclectic performances features the finest international jazz artists, the brightest of local talent and five days of thrilling entertainment, and some shows are already almost booked out.

Celebrating its 45^th year, the world-renowned festival will host over 1000 musicians and have more ticketed shows than ever before.  There will be an extra date (starting Thursday) and an extended music trail in 73 pubs, theatres, clubs and hotel venues across the city, Douglas and Kinsale.  

Performing alongside the headline acts will be a stellar line-up of Irish and emerging talent who are pushing the boundaries of the genre. Add to that pop-up events, late night parties, boat trips, collaborations and brass bands marching through the city streets, and you can see why it’s one of Ireland’s most popular festivals.

The hugely successful 2022 Guinness Cork Jazz Festival smashed all records attracting over 100,000 visitors to Cork City for the weekend and this year promises to be bigger and better.

Some of the headline acts already announced for the highly anticipated weekend include R&B/soul singer and actress Macy Gray, who will perform at the Cork Opera House on Thursday 26th October in an event that is already close to selling out.   

Fresh from a busy summer of headlining major music and jazz festivals all over Europe this summer, Morcheeba will celebrate the 25th anniversary of their 1st album with a gig in Cork Opera House. 

The same venue will play host to Grammy Award winner Corrine Bailey Rae on Sunday 29th Oct. She’ll be showcasing her new album which is due out this September just weeks before the festival. Fellow Grammy winner Kurt Elling, renowned for his singular combination of robust swing and poetic insight, will play The Everyman Theatre on Friday 27th October. 

Also at the Cork Opera House over the weekend are the incredible family band Hypnotic Brass Ensemble regarded as the greatest brass band of them all who will showcase classics of Hip Hop over 50 years. 

Jazz purists will be impressed by the line-up at the Everyman, Triskel and the Greenroom at Cork Opera House. Trumpeter, producer and composer Matthew Halsall, who is redefining spiritual jazz for the next generation will play The Everyman on Fri 27th Oct while Fred Wesley, former band leader of James Brown will play the iconic theatre on Sunday 29th. 

Cyprus Avenue will once again play host to the Jazz After Dark DJ Sessions. World renowned broadcaster & DJ, Gilles Peterson, who’s played a pivotal role in supporting forward-thinking underground music globally and beyond over the past three decades will take to the decks at the Cork venue.

This year will also see headline acts once again at Cork City Hall, curated by Tom Keating, featuring Djs Jenny Greene, Mack Fleetwood, Tony Hadley and The Scratch.

After its resounding success last year, the Cork Jazz Boat on Cork Harbour Cruises will also return for 5 different jazz tours and performances along the harbour with Jerry Paxton.

Festival goers can expect a diverse range of musical styles, including traditional jazz, swing, bebop, fusion, and everything in between, ensuring there is something to suit every taste.

Commenting on the programme, Festival Director Mark Murphy said, “This year, we’re bringing in bigger acts, we have more venues and more ticketed shows at each venue.  We’re also extending the Guinness music trail throughout Cork City’s vibrant venues, bars and restaurants, which provides a platform for local artists and an immersive experience for festival-goers.”

There’s also always a Big Fringe of mainly free music that sees international and local Big Brass Bands perform around the city, organised by the local Cork Jazz festival committee.

And the Metropole Hotel, the original home of Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, will once again host the Metropole Festival Club with an extended programme of show stopping performances.

Kevin Herlihy, President of the Cork Business Association said, “The Guinness Cork Jazz festival gives a huge economic boost to Cork City and I’ve never seen anything like the footfall and positivity in 2022. It’s not just about the music; it’s a celebration of Cork’s culture, hospitality, and our renowned culinary scene.  Visitors can expect to indulge in delicious festival menus and unique events over the weekend.”

Tickets for the second wave of acts announced will go on sale this coming Friday, 25th August. For the latest news and updates, including line-up announcements, fringe events, the music trail and more, see guinnesscorkjazz.com or follow the festival on @GuinnessCorkJazz.

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival is supported by Diageo, Fáilte Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork Airport. For full event information check out www.guinnesscorkjazz.com