Ballydehob Jazz Festival Kicks Off This Weekend

Ballydehob, in West Cork, will roll out an outstanding festival programme of music and art this weekend, featuring some of Ireland's finest contemporary Jazz artists over five online concerts, a village art project, a village mural, and Jazz Photography exhibition.

On Saturday, Sunday, and Monday night at 8pm, Ballydehob Jazz Festival host a series of online concert performances, recorded right in the heart of the village in the newly revamped Community Hall. These concerts will be streamed online via the Ballydehob YouTube Channel. Enjoy performances from ReDiviDeR (Saturday 1st May 8pm), Cuar - an Irish Chamber Music ensemble led by Neil O'Lochlainn (Saturday 1st May 9pm), The Cormac McCarthy Sextet (Sunday 2nd May 8pm), and festival favourites, Niwel Tsumbu and Eamonn Cagney, with very special and much-loved guest singer Camilla Griehsel (Sunday 2nd May 9pm).

The festival's Headline Concert will bring the weekend to a close at 8pm Monday 3rd May for a performance of Loch Trasna (Roaring Water Suite), an original piece of music commissioned by the Ballydehob Jazz Festival and written by Paul Dunlea, Cork trombonist and composer. A new suite in 4 movements inspired by the extraordinary efforts and courage of local men and women of Cork during the War of Independence. Performing with Paul will be 4 of Ireland's leading improvising jazz musicians: Chris Engel - Sax, Chris Guilfoyle - Guitar, Dan Bodwell - Bass and Matthew Jacobson - Drums.

All music concerts will be available for ticket holders to view via the Ballydehob Jazz Festival You Tube Channel, premiering from 8pm each night (Friday Saturday, Sunday 1-3rd May). Tickets for these concerts are purchased by donation. Suggested €15 for single day tickets (includes two shows), or €30 for a Weekend ticket (3 nights).

The local community will celebrate the festival on the ground as well as online, as Ballydehob Jazz Festival has partnered with local arts centre Working Artist Studios to create family creativity packs filled with all the materials to make your own JAZZ decorations, including a stained glass design, which will be used to decorate the Village Windows throughout the weekend. (Contact workingartiststudios@gmail.com to pick up your pack - Donation welcome).

Brightening up the village even more, the BJF have commissioned a New Village Wall Mural, created by Cork Artist Anthony Ruby which will be unveiled on a village wall over the weekend (FREE), and a Photograph Exhibition showcasing previous year's Jazz Festivals, captured by local photographers Jason Lee and RT Breathnach, will be displayed throughtout the streets over the weekend, accessible to all (FREE).

Support Ballydehob Jazz Festival at www.ballydehobjazzfestival.org.

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