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Cork Jazz Festival
This is Ireland's longest running Jazz festival and by a mile the best. The sheer amout and variety of music on offer during the weekend is mind-boggling and those who make through the 4 days will need a long lie down in a dark place to recover.
As always, Cork manages to tempt it's loyal following with the opportinity to see acts who rarely perform in Ireland. Treats which await Jazz lovers in 2008 include an appearance by The Yellowjackets quartet, which includes high-energy guitar virtuoso Mike Stern, and The Cindy Blackman Quartet, whose eponymous American leader is a renowned jazz and rock drummer who has appeared with the likes of Lenny Kravitz.
Tenor Saxophonist David Murry will be there, with his Black Saint Quartet, as will vocalist Lianne Caroll, who has been the winner of BBC Jazz Awards and appeared with among others Ladysmith Black Mombasa and Paul McCartney.
Paco Peña, who has been at the forefront of the art of flamence guitar for many years, will be joined by a company of five dancers and a nine piece flamenco band in a performance that incorporates modern dance styles and movements while staying faithful to the traditions of flamenco. Not to be missed.
Official festival venues at Jurys & the Metropole hotels, the Everyman Palace, the Triskel Arts Centre and Cork Opera house have practically non-stop jazz for the weekend and tickets sell out fast, so keep an eye on the website for details. But there will be lots of free music in pubs, on the streets and in other locations to cater for the more than 40,000 people who make the trip to Cork annually.
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What else to do in Cork?
For a look at some other activities and attractions that we recommend within reach of this event, including tour itineraries and articles of interest, see our Cork City Area Guide.
