All that jazz

Jazz hands at the ready as Cork’s famous music festival has been launched for another year.

Now in its 47th year, the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival will feature a world-class line-up that spans jazz, funk, soul, hip-hop, and electronic innovation, with global icons and cutting-edge new talent. Headliners already announced include Cymande, JP Cooper, Orchestra Baobab, techno pioneer Jeff Mills, legendary hip-hop collective The Pharcyde, and the soulful voice of Sienna Spiro.

Mark Murphy, Festival Director, said: “Guinness Cork Jazz is Ireland's largest jazz festival and a cultural institution.

“Every year, Cork becomes the beating heart of jazz, but the festival has grown into so much more – a celebration of musical innovation and cultural energy.”

Over five days, the festival will feature more than 500 musicians across 100 events in nearly 80 venues, from headline venues for ticketed shows to a free Guinness Music Trail.

The festival also spills into the streets with surprise pop-up gigs, and brass bands with The Big Fringe. The reach of the festival also extends beyond the city to surrounding areas such as Douglas and Kinsale.

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival has attracted more than 100,000 attendees in recent years, establishing itself as Ireland’s premier jazz event and the biggest city-based music festival.

With its mix of jazz greats, global innovators, and breakthrough Irish talent, it’s set to be another incredible weekend of music with a great festival vibe across the city.

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival takes place from 23-27 October.

Tickets and full programme details are available at guinnesscorkjazz.com. More acts were revealed at the official launch on Wednesday evening like Lee Fields & The Expressions , the legendary American soul singer, whose career began back in 1969 and has drawn comparisons to James Brown and Otis Redding, but with a nuanced originality.

Others acts announced are:

Nubya Garcia – a British jazz musician, saxophonist, composer and bandleader - one of the leading names in the new wave of UK jazz

Jape – Rituals – an exclusive tribute to Richie Egan’s early, groundbreaking work

Summer Pearl – soulful rising star destined to captivate audiences

Norma Winstone & Glauco Venier: Distances and Beyond

Vallon-Michel-Rossy - Pianist Colin Vallon joins focus with two of Europe’s most prominent and original musicians - Matthieu Michel on trumpet and Jorge Ross on drums

Elina Duni & Rob Luft Quartet: A Time To Remember - connecting music from different parts of the world. Supported by Swiss Flugehorn player Matthieu Michel and one of the great contemporary British jazz drummers, Corrie Dick

Mås Exödus - a modern contemporary jazz band that emerged in 2021, conceived by festival director Mark Murphy (ChoiceCuts) and guitarist Max Zaska

Stella Performs Ella - Stella Bass Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald

And more local additions including Smithereens, Yankari, Estratos, and Tu-Ki.