Sun 1st : Sami Moukkadem Quintet
Born in Lebanon, guitarist and composer Sami Moukaddem "draws fruitfully on his Middle Eastern heritage to create this fascinating jazz hybrid."-The Irish Times. High praise for the adopted Dubliner, whose music incorporates vivid imagery from his formative experiences growing up in the Lebanon and his relationship at a distance from the social, political and humane concerns of his homeland. A musical tagine that marries original tunes with Arabic grooves, and seasoned by Irish, Lebanese, and Spanish musicians, with Brendan Doyle (sax) , Jose Carlos (bass) and Robbie Harris (percussion), augmented by the group’s latest recruit, vocalist Riona Hartman.
Sun 8th : Cortisol
Philip MacMullan leads this quintet with a collective work ethic and collaborative approach, which has recently included an ambitious multi- media project with video artist Mark Linnane. Musically, Cortisol take their cue from contemporary band leaders like Nils Wogram, Ben Allison and Steve Coleman, oscillating between quirky head arrangements and liberating improv. Interesting textures in store from the clarinet/trombone frontline of Matt Berrill and Colm O’Hara, harmony and colour from pianist Justin Carroll, with bassist Andrew Csibi and Macmullan on drums providing the rhythmic component.
Sun 15th : Francesco Turrissi's Tarab
“Enchanting’ is how The Irish Times described the music of Francesco Turrisi’s most recent Tarab performance at The NCH which focused on music with an Arabic dimension. Tarab now turn their focus to the Eastern Mediterranean, with the addition of Greek singer Xanthoula Dakovanou and the exquisite saz and lyra of Athens-based Irishman Paul Goodman to Tarab’s core trio of Andrew Csibi (bass) , Nick Roth (sax) and Turrisi on piano, accordion and frame drum. Together they explore a rich repertoire of folkloric music from Greece, central Asia, southern Italy and Turkey, forging a persuasive link between modal jazz and the improvisations of the Turkish and Greek maqam tradition.
Sun 22nd : Togetherness
With just a handful of gigs under their belt, Togetherness were among the highlights of this year’s 12 Points! Festival, but it’s players will be familiar to anyone with a keen eye on the Dublin jazz scene, and its also a bellwether of the strength in jazz composition to be found in Ireland today. Setting aside the Hammond B3 and returning to the piano has stimulated some exemplary small group writing from Justin Carroll, characterized by shifts in meter, and performed by five musicians who clearly enjoy unpicking his rhythmic knots. Tenor saxophonist Michael Buckley now seems to have few impediments to melodic expression every time he plays, and he shares the stand here with a real voice for the future in fellow tenorman Matthew Halpin, while word is seeping out in the global jazz community about drummer Sean Carpio, and Simon Jermyn is evolving a very personal concept of the electric bass.
Sun 29th : Jonathon Kreisberg Trio
With six cds to his name plus a lengthy list of collaborations in the highest echelons of New York music, Jonathon Kreisberg is the embodiment of that city’s jazz guitar aesthetic. A flawless technique is deployed with understatement, allied to a sophisticated harmonic orbit that compliments buoyant legato playing and a warm tone, and heard in the context of his deft original compositions. His latest release South of Everywhere evokes the best work of fellow guitarists like Kurt Rosenwinkel, and has drawn effusive praise from sources like Jazztimes, as have his contributions to the working groups of musicians like vibraphonist Joe Locke and drummer Ari Hoenig. Jazz guitar aficionados shouldn’t miss his Dublin debut, where Kreisberg will be performing in trio with drummer David Little and bassist Damien Evans.
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