Jazz Festival lights up Bray in May

WITH the May weekend fast approaching we thought we should make a bit of a song and dance about the fact today is International Dance Day and tomorrow, International Jazz Day.

Yes, April 29 has been deemed International Dance Day since 1982 — the date was chosen to celebrate the birth of Jean George Noverre who is widely regarded as the father of modern ballet.

And the good people at UNESCO have declared tomorrow, April 30, as a day when people should, through the means of jazz music, promote freedom of expression and eradicate discrimination and gender inequality. How bad? It’s also a day when perhaps, we should try to steal a few golden moments amid the hustle and bustle that pervades our everyday lives or, to put it another way, try and seek out a bit of craic. This year’s main event celebrating International Jazz Day takes place in Osaka, Japan, and features an all-star cast which includes Herbie Hancock, Courtney Pine and Gregory Porter among others.