London songstress Mica Paris’s show might be a tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, but she isn’t at all interested in delivering an Ella Fitzgerald impression.

Mica Paris kicks off the Cork Jazz Festival tomorrow night with a show featuring the songs of Ella Fitzgerald. She tells Ellie O’Byrne about her own rise to fame and her love of the American legend.

The family-friendly parade will mix red-hot jazz bands with fiery Cork characters who will dance through the city streets in a dramatic musical procession.

One of Ireland’s great hotels rolled out the red carpet for a very special guest today to celebrate their remarkable connection which dates back more than a century.

A half century ago, the great singer Ella Fitzgerald - no relation - summed it all up to perfection.

Mick Finn, Lord Mayor of Cork city, was born and raised on Friars Walk but has also lived intermittently in Athlone, Dublin and Sydney. He atttended Sullivan’s Quay, Deerpark CBS and UCC

Des O’Driscoll looks back on the strange set of circumstances that led to the founding of the festival in 1978.

The First Lady of Song played two memorable concerts at the jazz festival in 1980, writes Des O’Driscoll

A strange set of circumstances led Jim Mountjoy to suggest a jazz festival for Cork in 1978. Little did he know how his idea would snowball, writes Des O’Driscoll

CONGRATULATIONS to the organisers of this year’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival; they have planned it for a weekend — October 27-30 — when the 10-day weather forecasts promise mere clouds and only a moderate risk of rain... the weather, then, as normal in our part of the world.

Kate Ellis lives in Dublin and is artistic director of Crash Ensemble. The new music group play at a number of events at Clonmel Junction Festival over the next few days.

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By the time Ella Fitzgerald came to perform at the Cork Jazz Festival in October 1980, she was the well-established and undisputed singing queen of the world jazz scene. Fitzgerald’s stint at Cork Opera House was a welcome boost for the then burgeoning festival, whose organisers shelled out a reported £16,000 for the star.

There was salsas, cha-chas, foxtrots, and Viennese waltzes — and at the end of it all, Dancing Dessie is still standing.

Fiona Collins is chairperson of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, which takes place this weekend. She’s originally from Bandon but has been living in Cork city for a number of years.

Ailbhe Ní Ghearbhuigh is an Irish language poet from Tralee, Co Kerry. She co-presents arts show Imeall with Tristan Rosenstock on TG4 on Thursdays.

Many Junior Certificate students hoped to end their exams on the right note with their written music papers.

Cork-raised Brian Deady worked through personal traumas to produce his impressive new album, writes Ed Power

JOHNNY ‘Fang’ Murphy is a founder member of the Stargazers. From Blackrock in Cork, he now lives in Macroom. The Stargazers perform tonight at Triskel Christchurch in Cork on a double bill with the Lee Valley String Band in support of Médecins Sans Frontières.

Reviving a show that originally flopped on Broadway is one of the best things Michael Ball has ever done, he tells Ed Power.

There was a post-recession razzmatazz amongst the revellers who enjoyed last night’s kick-off of the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival.

Headline acts for next month’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival include the Coronas, Gary Numan, and The Drifters.

THOUGH just over a debilitating chest infection, singer-song writer Eddi Reader is full of the joys of life and music.

Hot licks, boogie woogies, and jive-talkin’ Janes — it has to be the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival.

Jack Bruce, the composer, singer and multi-instrumentalist, died today of liver disease, aged 71.

IN advance of her gig at the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, Ed Power Dianne Reenes is as humble as ever, despite her Grammys and singing for George Clooney.

Tina Mcintyre is attacked on Coronation Street and The Good Wife returns in an unfortunately late slot on RTE.

Karan Casey’s sixth solo album, Two More Hours, is her first of entirely self-penned songs.

Three into two would not go for X Factor judge Gary Barlow after he put through duo Rough Copy and then reunited them with former bandmate Kazeem to make them back into a trio for the live finals.

FOR a man who is regarded as quintessentially Cork, thanks to his ’70s rendition of The Boys of Fairhill, it comes as a surprise to hear that the genteel county of Kent is one of Jimmy Crowley’s favourite places to hang out.

Controversy over 'Ding, Dong The Witch Is Dead' has spread to Ireland, where the song has soared into the charts.

Baroness Thatcher’s death could propel The Wizard Of Oz track Ding Dong The Witch Is Dead into the top 40 of the singles chart in the UK.

Mitch Winehouse has more unreleased songs by his late daughter Amy Winehouse.

Music fans are this morning gearing themselves for one last toot on the trumpet as the Guinness Cork Jazz festival enters its final day.

More than 1,000 musicians from 22 countries will descend on Cork for the annual Guinness Jazz Festival, delivering 400 performances at 50 venues over the October Bank Holiday weekend.

Cork Opera House is set to swing and jive to the sounds of top jazz acts for the first time in three years as it takes centre stage again for this year’s jazz festival.

This Wednesday, the normally quiet streets of Kinsale will echo to an unusual musical happening as a “Battle of the Pianos” takes centre stage at a local restaurant.

PARIS, Milan, London, New York, Cork?

Cliff Richard would like to record a song with Lady Gaga, but only if she toned down her image.

ACTOR and comedian Niall Tóibín is to receive an honorary doctorate of arts in his native Cork next week.

CLEO LAINE was yesterday praised for her “incredible” bravery after she went ahead with an important concert following the death of her husband, jazz legend John Dankworth.

IT has hosted some of the biggest names in jazz, but Cork Opera House will be without a headline act next month following a row between Ireland’s biggest drinks companies.

FANCY having the best seats in the house in your own front room?