Jazz to hit the right notes
Excitement is building in the city as it prepares to swing to the rhythm of the 45th Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, and for the first time in its history, the festivities will kick off on Thursday.
With over 500 musicians from over 40 countries performing and an extended music trail that will spread across 73 pubs, theatres, clubs, and hotel venues, there is something to suit every taste.
A jam-packed scheduled with an eclectic mix of events is in store for attendees, including well-known favourites Macy Gray, Morcheeba and the Pharcyde who are all set to take the stage at the Opera House, while Jenny Greene, Gilles Peterson and King Kong Company are some of the acts that will headline at Cyprus Avenue. And for jazz enthusiasts, Grammy-winning artist Kurt Elling and composer Matthew Halsall are must-sees.
One of the festival's major attractions is The Big Fringe, established in 2005 and now celebrating its 18th year. The free programme spills on to the city streets, encouraging everyone to partake in the festivities.
The Big Fringe Chairwoman Fiona Collins says that it adds to the party atmosphere in the city. “There is a buzz in the air. and the Fringe lends itself to that, especially with the different marching bands on the streets and the jazz bus driving around the city. We want to make the jazz accessible to everyone over the weekend, and we try to cater to all ages,” she said.
A highlight for Fiona is bands visiting local schools. “There will be school visits with brass bands on the Friday. The children get so excited to see all the instruments. It’s one of my favourite parts of the Fringe,” she added.
Fiona says that last year’s Fringe had an excellent turnout, and the hope is to make it even bigger this year.
2022’s festival proved to be a record-breaking bonanza year for the city, with 100,000 music fans visiting, and an estimated €45m in takings. Cork Chairperson of Vintners Federation, Michael O’Donovan, says that it is a hugely significant weekend for his industry and publicans are hoping to repeat the success of last year. “ It’s one of the busiest weekends we have so it’s very important,” he said.
“Last year we had one of the biggest festivals ever, and the weather was fantastic. If we can match that it would be brilliant and we would be very happy,” he added.
The epicentre of the festival is the Metropole Hotel on MacCurtain Street. In 1978, Jim Mountjoy, the then deputy general manager, dreamt up the idea of a Cork Jazz Festival, and it has gone from strength to strength ever since.
General Manager Roger Russell says that the hotel’s connection with the Jazz Festival is a source of great pride for the staff.
“We are very proud of our history with the Jazz Festival. It’s a phenomenal event that brings in visitors both locally and internationally, and we have a great line-up this year,” he said.
“We have fantastic acts like Judi Jackson, we are very excited to have someone of her stature playing at The Metropole,” he said.
Cork Airport is preparing to welcome over 53,000 passengers over the weekend, with thousands arriving to celebrate the festival. Friday is anticipated to be the busiest day and total passenger traffic will see a 23% increase on the same period last year.
However, don't forget to bring a brolly if you're Jazz-bound, as Met Eireann predicts some rainy spells on Friday. While Saturday should offer better weather, Sunday is expected to be a wet and windy day.