Photo of Yankari
With just two weeks to go, excitement is building for the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, as organisers announce the final line-up, including additional support acts, and shows sell out across the weekend.
Ireland’s biggest city-based music festival will once again light up Cork this October Bank Holiday Weekend (23-27 Oct) for its 47th edition, with an unbeatable mix of music, energy, and atmosphere.
From the soulful power of Lee Fields & The Expressions and the timeless rhythms of Orchestra Baobab joined by the gospel-energy of Annie & The Caldwells, to the smooth hip-hop grooves of Rejjie Snow, this year’s edition really hits across the spectrum of jazz, soul, funk, hip-hop, world sounds and beyond. It’s got the groundbreaking sounds of Nubya Garcia and Adrian Younge Orchestra, the stunning vocals of Tolü Makay and the rising brilliance of Sienna Spiro!
Fans are urged to move quickly as a string of shows are already sold out or close to it. Legendary funk collective Cymande, LA hip-hop pioneers The Pharcyde, roots reggae heroes The Congos, Le Boom, TBL8 Brass and Dublon are all sold out. Irish favourites Maverick Sabre and Khakikid have also sold out their initial shows and added extra dates/times, which are already almost gone too. Meanwhile, JP Cooper, Luke Thomas, Ross From Friends, James Holden & Waclaw Zimpel, and Stella Sings Ella are all down to their final few tickets.
Adding to the mix, local hero Shane Johnson (Fish Go Deep) has been added as support for Jeff Mills “Tomorrow Comes The Harvest”. Dublin RnB star Aby Coulibaly will open for Sienna Spiro, while Belfast’s soul queen Winnie Ama launches her debut album “D3KA” while on support for Cymande. Exciting new names Chip Wickham, Monjola, Summer Pearl, Melina Malone, Celaviedemai, F3miii, Chameleon, FyaRed, JarJarJr and Ahmed, With Love, are also set to bring fresh sounds to Cork’s biggest music weekend.
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, making it a key cultural draw for both domestic and international visitors.
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 is supported by Diageo, Fáilte Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork Airport.
The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival takes place from 23-27 October. Tickets and full programme details are available at Guinness Cork Jazz – Festival