19 October 2023
By Mary Bemingham
mary@TheCork.ie
Guinness Cork Jazz Festival 2023
Hold onto your jazz hats! Organisers of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival have a host of additional acts performing across Cork City this October Bank Holiday Weekend (26th-30th October 2023).
OXN ( a new band with Radie Peat, Katie Kim, John Spud Murphy and Eleanor Myler), Fizzy Orange (a six-piece soul group from Dublin), Mas Exodus-Negro Impacto, and JarJarJr have all been added to the programme as headline shows Macy Gray, Morcheeba and The Pharcyde x Souls of Mischief shows sell out. Other new shows announced include 1000 Beasts, Papa Romeo, Stevie G, Qbanna, Projective and Sam Healy. Tickets for the new gigs went on sale today on guinnesscorkjazz.com.
Fizzy-Grand-Social
Celebrating its 45th year, the jam-packed weekend of eclectic performances features the finest international jazz artists, a stellar line-up of Irish and emerging talent who are pushing the boundaries of the genre, and five days of thrilling entertainment.
Worth over €45m to the local economy, the festival smashed all records last year attracting more than 100,000 people to the city. This year’s expanded programme features an extra date, with more than 100 ticketed shows (a 40% increase), more than 500 musicians from over 40 countries, and an extended music trail in 73 pubs, theatres, clubs and hotel venues across Cork city, Douglas and Kinsale.
Commenting, Festival Director Mark Murphy said, “This year is selling out faster than ever before, which is a testament to the level of talent both coming into Cork, and in Cork, this year. It’s also building on the success of the 2022 festival, which broke previous attendance records.”
“We’re thrilled to add new acts this week including OXN, Fizzy Orange, Negro Impacto and JarJarJr to the mix along with our headliners and festival favourites. They bring great energy to the festival“
Mark continued, “Guinness Cork Jazz is renowned for giving a platform to established local talent like Cork Opera House Jazz Artist-in-Residence Laoise Leahy and jazz stalwart and soul woman Karen Underwood, but this year we also wanted to put a focus on up-and-coming local talent. We have partnered with well-known Cork DJ Stevie G to produce a Sunday matinee show at The Everyman featuring Qbanaa, Projective and Sam Healy.”
What to attend? Don’t miss grammy-winner Kurt Elling or trumpeter, producer and composer Matthew Halsall who just sold out the Royal Albert Hall in London to 5000 people as he continues to redefine spiritual jazz for the next generation. Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, regarded as the greatest brass band of them all, is a festival favourite who will showcase classics of Hip Hop over 50 years. Harpist Brandee Younger is expected to give a stunning performance at Triskel and Amaro Freitas, who got a standing ovation last year, has announced a second show due to demand.
Live at St Lukes, a converted church, is a unique venue to enjoy an exciting bill of performances over the weekend, while Jazz purists will be impressed by the line-up at the Everyman, Triskel and the Greenroom at Cork Opera House.
For something a little different during the day, check out the daily Jazz Boat Journey with exclusive performances by blues, jigs, reels and ragtime world-sensation Jerron Paxton as you sail around Cork Harbour.
This year’s festival will also see headline acts once again at Cork City Hall, curated by Tom Keating, featuring Jenny Greene, Mack Fleetwood, Tony Hadley and The Scratch.
We can’t forget the Metropole Hotel, the original home of Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, which hosts the very popular Metropole Festival Club with an extended programme of show stopping performances.
And a favourite for many, Jazz will spill onto the streets of Cork City and beyond over the weekend with The Big Fringe, featuring brass bands, the big jazz bus, Jazz jamboree jam session, the Kinsale fringe, and more!
Festival goers can also make the most of their festival experience by hitting the best music venues on the Guinness Music Trail which offers music to suit every appetite. Revellers will discover everything from ska to swing and jazz to brass as the trail leads you to more than 73 venues across Cork City, Douglas and Kinsale.
Add to that pop-up events, late night parties, and collaborations and you can see why it’s one of Ireland’s most popular festivals. It’s time to book before you miss out on Cork City’s biggest festival weekend.
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.