'Palpable energy' of Jazz Fest welcomed back to Cork's streets and stages
Lee Fields of Lee Fields and The Expressions will play the Cork Opera House this Saturday.
The 47th annual Guinness Cork Jazz Festival kicked off with a surprise appearance from Lee Fields at Cork Opera House on Thursday night.
Arguably the greatest pure soul singer alive, his surprise appearance at the official launch comes ahead of the 75-year-old's gig at the Cork Opera House on Saturday night.
Fields is just one of a whole host of world-class performers due to take over the city this weekend for Ireland’s largest celebration of jazz and many other genres, which will see more than 500 musicians perform 100 events in almost 80 venues over five days.
From its humble beginnings at the Metropole Hotel 47 years ago, the festival has grown into one of the city’s most anticipated annual events, with packed venues, hotels, and bars boosting the coffers of local businesses.
Other leading acts this year include UK jazz star Nubya Garcia, reggae legends The Congos, and hip-hop veterans The Pharcyde.
Despite the dozens of international musicians playing in Cork, the gig creating the biggest buzz of the weekend is the homecoming of local heroes Sultans of Ping. Famed for their 1993 hit, Where's Me Jumper, the Sultans sold out the City Hall venue weeks in advance of the festival.
Other highlights include techno pioneer Jeff Mills, Dublin rapper Rejjie Snow, and rising stars such as Sienna Spiro, whose single Die On This Hill has just entered the UK Top 30 charts.
The festival will also spill into the streets with the Big Fringe programme of street performances, jam sessions, and marching brass bands, described by Fiona Collins, chairperson of the Cork Jazz Festival Committee, as “a real highlight for many festival-goers”.
Highlights include the Oliver Plunkett Street Stroll on Friday evening, the Beat on the Street impromptu performances from some of UK and Europe’s best marching bands through the weekend, and the Super Dome Jazz Stage on the Opera House Plaza on Emmett Place on Saturday and Sunday afternoon.
There's also a new Jazz Market on Patrick’s Street on Saturday and Sunday, a 'Live at the Library' series at Cork City Library, and the Big Jazz Bus which will once again make its rounds through the city throughout the weekend.
Welcoming the “palpable energy” of the festival back to the streets and stages of Cork city, Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr Fergal Dennehy said: “This weekend not only showcases world-class jazz and our outstanding local talent, but also shines a spotlight on the very best of Cork’s hospitality, culture, and night-time economy.”
The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival takes place from October 23 to October 27. See guinnesscorkjazz.com for full programme details.
