In our Notes from Irish Jazz series, we're shining a light on some of the people who create the jazz scene around Ireland! To give us an insight into jazz in Limerick, we chatted to drummer John Daly, founder and director of the Limerick Jazz Festival, which is approaching its 40th anniversary in 2022.
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Completing the sequence for the Piece by Piece series is Belfast harper and sound artist Úna Monaghan. Monaghan examines the intersections between Irish traditional music, experimental music practices, improvisation and interactive technologies. She frequently mixes electro-acoustic textures and ambient sound recordings with traditional tunes and harp improvisations. Often strongly narrative, her work can dwell on darker aspects of human experience alongside re-imaginings of traditional dances and airs. Ahead of her performance on Friday 29nd May, 20:00 GMT+1, Úna shared some of her thoughts with us on what she took from the preceding piece by Izumi Kimura, and what lockdown has meant for her, and people around her.
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The 7th creation in the sequence comes from pianist Izumi Kimura. The Japanese-born, Irish-based pianist has worked with many of the top names in contemporary and improvised music and performed all over the world, and is praised by the Irish Times for her “heroic level of technical fearlessness”. Izumi shared some thoughts with us on how she engaged with the Piece by Piece project and how she's reflecting on the current crisis, ahead of her performance on Friday 22nd May, 20:00 GMT+1.
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For our Notes from Irish Jazz series, we're shining a light on some of the people who create the jazz scene around Ireland! Wexford-based musician and educator Kevin Lawlor gave us some insight into the jazz scene in Wexford and the south-east.
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The 6th piece in the Piece by Piece series comes from virtuoso trombonist, composer, and arranger Paul Dunlea, who is in demand across genres. His original music builds on his gift for strongly flowing melodies with a tight sense of groove, and an ability to paint evocative pictures in sound. Paul talked to us about his experience of improvising and the Piece by Piece project ahead of his performance on Friday 15th May, 20:00 GMT+1.
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The 5th concert in the Piece by Piece series comes from violinist Cora Venus Lunny. Lunny is well-known for her pedigree in classical and traditional music, playing with artists from Nigel Kennedy to Sinead O’Connor. As an improviser and composer, she brings her virtuoso technique on violin and viola together with a fascination with consciousness and groove, to bring the dizzying heights of contemporary classical string playing into jazz and folk-influenced soundworlds. Cora talked to us about her approach to improvisation and reflections on the current crisis, ahead of her performance on Friday 8th May, 20:00 GMT+1
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We're coming up to International Jazz Day this Thurday 30th April, and we're shining a light on some of the people who create the jazz scene around Ireland! To give us an insight into jazz in Galway, we chatted to Ellen Cranitch, musician, broadcaster and Director of Galway Jazz Festival.
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We're coming up to International Jazz Day this Thurday 30th April, and we're shining a light on some of the people who create the jazz scene around Ireland! To give us an insight into the education of jazz musicians in Ireland we chatted to TU Dublin's head of Jazz Performance, Mike Nielsen.
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