Limerick will play host to a wealth of both local and international musicians for the tenth annual Limerick Jazz Festival, which runs for the week of September 20th-26th, 2021. Bands from Switzerland, Chile and Scotland will play live during the festival along with local musical stars and will feature a mix of online and live events. All live events will feature allocated seating and other public health measures.
This year’s highlights include:
Online
- Online events run from Monday 20th to Wednesday 22nd September and include two specially commissioned performances by Limerick-based vocalists Jean McGlynn and Liam O’Brien, recorded live at the Lime Tree Theatre
- International guests are the award-winning University of the Arts Big Band from Philadelphia and Irish-born, New York-based guitarist David O’Rourke who will be providing and arranging a masterclass
- Online events conclude with a performance by Ronan Guilfoyle’s new group Tudo Bem! playing classic Brazilian jazz
Live
Live events run from Wednesday 22nd to Sunday 26th September at Dolans unless otherwise indicated. Highlights include:
- The Conor Guilfoyle Octet playing the music of Miles Davis’ Birth of the Cool
- A special Scottish night at the Belltable Arts Centre featuring the bands of two young leaders of a burgeoning jazz scene, pianist Fergus McCreadie and vocalist Georgia Cecile
- Vein Trio from Switzerland featuring Domenic Landlof
- The Nacho Mena Band from Chile, continuing our regular showcasing of Latin jazz
- The Nigel Mooney Quintet
- The Joe O’Callaghan Quartet
Welcoming the festival, Mayor of Limerick city and county, Cllr Daniel Butler said: “Limerick Jazz Festival is now an established part of the city’s cultural calendar. It has shown great imagination and resilience to stage a combination of online and live music in both 2020 and 2021, and I look forward to its continued development in the future.”
Organiser, John Daly from the Limerick Jazz Festival said he was delighted to announce this year’s festival programme.
“We have worked hard to develop a line-up that works in the unusual times we live in with a mix of great online and live events,” he said. “Limerick was the only jazz festival in Ireland to feature live music in 2020, and in 2021 we are delighted to be the first jazz festival in Ireland to welcome back live music, and that the gradual easing of public health measures has allowed us to cater to a much bigger audience than might otherwise have been the case.”
Limerick Jazz Festival is promoted by the Limerick Jazz Society. It is supported by the Arts Council and Limerick City and County Council.
Limerick Jazz Society is the longest continually active jazz society in Ireland and celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2012 with the first Limerick Jazz Festival. Its spring and autumn performance seasons feature leading international and Irish musicians. Since 2007 it has also provided jazz education programs through Limerick Jazz Workshop, the only regular jazz workshop in Ireland outside Dublin. Limerick Jazz Society is a registered charity.
For more information and full listings visit www.limerickjazzfestival.com.