Mark Murphy, Cork Jazz Festival director: 'The energy just has to be witnessed'

Appointed last year as director of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, Murphy outlines his plans for the event 

Guinness Cork Jazz Festival director Mark Murphy. Picture: Darragh Kane

Mark Murphy was appointed festival director of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival in 2021, after building a reputation for many years as a promoter of quality music. Also a musician and DJ, as part of the Choice Cuts organisation in Dublin, he has brought dozens of jazz, soul and hip hop acts to Ireland. 

Des O’Driscoll: With Choice Cuts’ bookings through the years, the emphasis seems to be on quality acts that might not necessarily be a huge commercial draw. Can you explain the philosophy behind it all?

Mark Murphy: The Choice Cuts shows, which is the kind of sensibility that's producing the jazz festival this year, is basically promoting the artists that are in my record collection. So, as opposed to just playing the record, we want to bring the act that we love, that normally wouldn't play here, to play in front of the fans. Often on paper the amount of time and effort you have to put into the show, the return would not be financially sensible. So obviously, we do stuff as well that is commercial. You just have to balance it all out.

What are your personal highlights from previous jazz festivals?

I think it’d have to be the Damon Albarn show I produced at the Savoy back in 2007, with Flea [Red Hot Chili Peppers] and Tony Allen [Fela Kuti’s drummer]. Also, I loved the show Lee Fields and Sharon Jones did in the Opera House in 2014.

Damon Albarn at the Honest Jon's Chop Up event at the Savoy, Cork, in 2011. Picture: Daragh Mc Sweeney

There’s always been great music at the Cork festival, but the amount of ‘quality’ gigs has waned at times over the years. What are your plans for the festival?

We know that there's been programming issues or some people being a little bit disgruntled by the programme, and we want to kind of improve on this. We want to kind of refresh and reimagine what the festival could be within the city. Diageo/Guinness have been really supportive with what we want to do with the festival. Even this year, we’ve booked the likes of Hermeto Pascoal, Seun Kuti, Gogo Penguin, Portico Quartet… that’s a strong international programme we can build on for next year.

Any other personal favourites on the bill?

I think it's fitting that the New Power Generation are playing the Opera House, because I think Prince was one of the most memorable gigs Cork has ever witnessed. Okay, they wouldn't be a jazz band, but half of them were probably jazz players and they are brilliant. The beauty of the festival is that you can book a serious gig, or you can just walk around the free music trail. The energy in Cork for the festival just has to be witnessed if you’ve never been there before.

The Chuck Stewart photography exhibition looks like an interesting one:

Yes indeed, it’s a first for Cork Jazz Festival, and a first time for debuting all this work to the world. It’s free through the day and in the evening it becomes an immersive exhibition, with Brandee Younger playing. Myself and [Limerick photographer] B+ have been working on it for about four years. It’s a real labour of love.