Scene and Heard

What's going on in music, theatre and film

JAZZ FESTIVAL: And so it’s that time of year again, where the sound of saxophones on Patrick’s Street is nearly drowned out by the chants from the chorus of “not as good as it used to be”. And many in that nay-saying mob do have a point in terms of dilution of the jazz offering, but there is still plenty of world-class music on offer in Cork over the next few days. Chic and the Mingus Big Band are sold out, but our personal choice of other top options would include Bugge Wesseltoft in Triskel tonight, Billy Cobham/Portico Quartet in the Everyman tomorrow, and Bilal at the Opera House on Sunday.

MUSIC NEWS: With the name Ella Yelich-O’Connor, the New Zealand sensation known as Lorde (pictured) must be eligible to don the green shirt. Either way, the 16-year-old chart-topper released her debut album, Pure Heroine, this week and her YouTube hits continue to rise by about a gazillion a day. At the other end of the musical age scale, Neil Young (68 in two weeks), will release the latest instalment in his Archives Performance Series on Dec 6. Live at the Cellar Door was made over six gigs at the eponymous Washington venue in 1970, and includes ‘Only Love Can Break Your Heart’ and ‘Don’t Let It Bring You Down’. Police in Los Angeles have dropped charges of sexual battery against Cee Lo Green, the singer of ’Crazy’ as part of Gnarls Barkley, but he is to be charged with furnishing a woman with ecstasy. Morrissey’s autobiography broke all sorts of records in its first week, selling 35,000 copies in the UK. We suspect that figure could soon be overtaken by another Manchester-based moaner on the book trail.