Looking back at 2025

We kicked off the year in Joycean fashion, with Ronan Guilfoyle’s work ‘Earwicker’s Dream’, exploring Finnegan’s Wake through spoken word from Janet Moran and Ronan’s music, played in stellar fashion with a group including Nguyen Le on guitar, Michael Buckley on sax, and Matthew Jacobson on drums. The crowd lived and laughed and loved and left.

February was an excellent month for pianists at The Cooler, with Leopoldo Osio’s Next Experiment exploring Latinate grooves, and Francesco Turrisi’s trio reuniting to explore everything from seventeenth-century song to Sicilian dance.

The piano stronghold continued into March, displaying every possible facet of our lovely Kawai instrument with every type of improvised music. Pianist Elliot Galvin’s new album layers electronics over the instruments, all inspired by old iphone recordings from his very first piano. We were delighted to welcome the award-winning Ethan Iverson to The Cooler for the first time in mid-March (some of us might even recall The Bad Plus visiting Dublin back in 2007!) Ethan’s intimate solo set explored film noir, science fiction and other dark narrative works.

At the end of the month for something a bit different, Kildare Jazz Festival paid a visit to Dublin, with a gorgeous set from Brazilian legend Filo Machado. Many thanks to Kasia and Gustavo for all the organising!

In April, New Music Dublin arrived at The Complex for a set of collaborative events, featuring the premiers of the new works by our BAN BAM composers, Joanna Mattrey & Christine Tobin in The Depot. Composer Ed Bennett’s environmentally-inspired work ‘All Earth Once Drowned’ also moved New Music Dublin audiences in the Depot, while upstairs in The Cooler late-night shows offered audiences something different again.

Córas Trio electronically deconstructed some Irish music and showed their knack for both genres on Thursday night. Friday evening pushed the mystery of improvisation even further, with ‘In the Dark’, a spin on IMC’s Blind Date Jazz series, where two musicians (local and NMD guests) met on stage in complete darkness, each unaware of the other’s identity or even instrument, and had a musical conversation together while the lights rose gradually over 20 minutes. Stellar performances from Ronan Guilfoyle (bass) and John Butcher (sax) in the first set, and Dan Walsh (drums), and Angharad Davies (violin) in the second. A bit of carefully placed glow-in-the-dark tape prevented any accidents.

Our Cooler Clinics programme continued all year, with talks and discussions on topics from funding to greener touring, and plenty of great conversations with artists planning their projects. We were delighted to welcome some amazing guest speakers for this year’s programme, including composer, pianist, and advocate Nat Bartsch in April, who spoke beautifully about navigating neurodiversity as a musician, in its challenges and possibilities.

The end of April had some more friends making music at The Cooler! A new project from pianist Xenia Pestova Bennett and Complex studio artist, some incredible performances from the next generation in DCU Jazz’s final year ensemble performances, and an International Jazz Day celebration with the Dublin Jazz Co-op.

In May we started our weekly Thursday gigs with a beautiful set from trio Sankhara, Joe O’Callaghan (guitar), Derek Whyte (bass), and Izumi Kimura (piano). The first and a fantastic start to many fantastic gigs of a Thursday evening in our little banana fridge.

Our Creative Europe cooperation project Better Live continued in 2025, and the first tour brought Finnish trumpeter Verneri Pohjola and his band Monkey mind to Ireland, with stops for an improv workshop at The Cooler, a mainstage show at Bray Jazz, an evening at Dolan’s with Limerick Jazz, and an acoustic set on the west coast with Westport Jazz. Huge thanks go to all of our partners for making the tours happen, and to Creative Europe for funding Better Live.

The reactivated Livia Records has expanded their work this year with new releases of contemporary Irish jazz, including the excellent new record from saxophonist Michael Buckley which we were delighted to have performed live at The Cooler in May.

A star on the Irish neo-soul scene and frequent performer for IMC, guitarist Max Zaska curated a four-concert series of outstanding Irish neo-soul for us running through the summer, with one gig in May, June, July and August. The series started off with excellent young Cork-based group Projective. Happy to have them visiting us from the real capital!

In our Cooler Clinic series in May, IMC’s resident photographer Louis Scully worked with a group of artists to create new headshots or promotional images, supporting artists to have the high-quality photos that are always needed by promoters and marketers.

May’s performances closed with another outstanding Irish piano trio, Origin Story with Greg Felton (piano), Cormac O’Brien (bass), and Matthew Jacobson (drums), mixing original compositions from all three.

Our Navigator Residency programme continued in 2025 with thanks to our wonderful partners in arts centres around the country. 2025’s navigation began in the North West, with Cork trombonist Paul Dunlea journeying the length of the country to work at An Grianán Letterkenny, including some fantastic new collaborations with fiddle-player Martin McGinley, and new tunes written which were premiered at An Grianán with Belfast pianist Scott Flanigan.

Sean Maynard Smith took the west of the country with a stay at Ballina Arts Centre, exploring the town’s revolutionary past, and surprising punk scene, and enjoying the quiet days to develop new musical ideas.

Cathal Roche’s work at the Source Arts in Thurles was inspired by the abstract landscape paintings of Eddie Kennedy, on display in the Source’s gallery space. Improvising musical responses to the work, and reflecting on intuitive response in painting, Cathal interviewed 7 local artists whose recorded voices, along with automated clarinets and saxophones, formed the basis for a spatial performance-installation of solo saxophones, community voices, speaker-dome. An immense work in a short period of time.

Pianist Izumi Kimura and flautist Lina Andonovska opened the June season at The Cooler, with music that went from atmospheric icy landscapes to intricate improvised counterpoint. An orchestra worth of instrumental colours in this inventive duo.

We had a different side and different decor at The Cooler in June for some family performances at Cruinniú na nOg, supported by Creative Ireland/Dublin City Council. Ríona Sally Hartman’s Úlla Búlla Band performed from her recently released album of jazz for young audiences, with songs in Irish and English bringing monsters, fireworks, flowers and more to life in music. An incredible band of Ireland’s best jazz musicians with Ríona leading Matt Halpin (saxophone), Sean Carpio (drums), Neil O Loclainn (bass), and Johnny Taylor at the piano, with special guest spoken word artists Dafe Pesse Orugbo.

The incredible Negro Impacto stopped in at The Cooler for the second of Max Zaska’s neo-soul curation.

We’ve had a fantastic addition to the IMC team this year in our new Production Coordinator and Venue Manager Nora Steiner, who has worked in The Cooler as a freelance audio engineer since its opening, besides using The Cooler as a member for her work as a vocalist and wind player. Previously a house engineer at The Workman’s Club, and with a wide variety in live and recorded music and audio across Dublin, and led a Cooler Clinic in June to give our artists the benefit of her experience, sharing tips and tricks to get the best out of your equipment, and approaches to working with venue audio.

June was again a very good month for piano fans. Legendary US pianist Craig Taborn has visited us several times over the years, but visited the Cooler for the first time this year for two incredibly up-close-and-personal concerts of his soaring improvised works. Some audience simply had to stay for both concerts.

Later in the month, Australian/Irish pianist Greg Lloyd packed out the space for an evening with Dave Redmond and Darren Beckett, sharing some early insights into his upcoming album Early Trains.

Jazz Camp for Girls returned for three camps this year, with the support of our partners at DCU, UCD, CSM and funding support from Fingal Arts and Research Ireland/Improvising Across Boundaries. With outstanding support from their tutors, the girls explored ensemble improvising, harmonies, song-writing, field recording, and much more.

For the classic jazz fans, Tommy Halferty’s Whirlpool gave us an amazing night of Miles Davis in July, featuring Derek Whyte on the bass, Darragh O’Kelly on keys, and Brendan Doherty on drums.

Then the third of Max Zaska’s neo-soul series again packed out The Cooler with the fantastic Cooks But We’re Chefs nearly bursting (peeling?) the banana fridge open at the seals with the energy of the music.

Our longest Better Live tour yet started in July with star American vibraphonist Sasha Berliner. Straight off the plan, Sasha first visited Jazz Camp for Girls at UCD, Sasha gave an inspiring short performance and workshop for the girls, and followed up with a show at The Cooler which multiple of our Board members called their favourite Cooler gig of the year.

Sasha saw a serious stretch of Ireland in her tour, heading from Dublin to Westport for a concert with Westport Jazz at the Clew Bay Hotel, and then all the way down to Cork for a performance with Cork Improvised Music Club, which jazz critic Philip Watson said in a social media post ‘in equal parts captivated and charmed’. From Cork, Sasha travelled back up most of the length of the country for a very full week of performances, masterclasses and workshop at Sligo Jazz Project Summer School and Festival. Thanks to Eddie, Anneli, Dan, Sarah, and of course Creative Europe for making it all happen.

July closed with a visit from some very old friends. Visiting from Argentina, guitarist Ariel Hernandez reunited with accordionist Dermot Dunne for an evening mixing Latin styles with favourite classics, bringing back the duo that was a favourite of audiences from Bray Jazz to Farmleigh House 15 years ago.

Navigator in Ireland’s ‘Ancient East’ started in August, with Patrick Stefan in residence at Riverbank Arts Centre Newbridge, and guitarist Emily O’Rourke at Garter Lane Waterford. Held within the space of Garter Lane’s strong programme of residencies, and focus on process rather than results, Emily returned to composition with work that explored identity and change. In Newbridge, Patrick found new paths to follow around a project exploring recordings of bird song, considering migration and place, and taking inspiration from the Riverbank gallery exhibition by local visual artist Fiyin Olokun on the subject of home. With technical exploration supported by the Riverbank staff, live improvisation, and visual elements from collaborator Keelin Sutcliffe, Patrick presented the current version of the work to Riverbank audiences at the end of the residency, with other possibilities presenting themselves for future iterations.

August was a slightly quieter month in The Cooler’s Thursday series, with two off-weeks to accommodate summer holidays, but audiences in Dublin still packed in for two concerts. Cork-born pianist John Donegan brought his stellar Irish Sextet together for a performance of their most recent album We Will Meet Again Sometime, and Max Zaska’s neo-soul series wrapped up with a powerful performance from vocalist Jess Kav and her band.

Early September was one for musicians not afraid to take risks. Magical Dog (named for the Jan Hammer tune), nearly cracked the Cooler open with explosive takes on jazz fusion from John McLaughlin’s Mahavishnu Orchestra, Steve Grossman and more.

Then Belfast pianist Scott Flanigan took on the challenge of riffing on one of the most infamous concerts in history, Keith Jarrett’s Köln Concert. While Jarrett’s piano was the wrong model, out of tune, and Jarrett was in pain from his long drive, we hope Scott found our Kawai more agreeable, even after reckoning with the M1 and the M50.

Another fine album from a top Irish jazzman this year was Dave Redmond’s All in Motion, and we were delighted to host a launch performance at The Cooler, featuring some star visiting collaborators, with George Colligan on piano, Stéphane Mercier on sax, and Darren Beckett on drums.

International collaborators also featured in Cork trombonist Paul Dunlea’s quartet in early October, with Michael Janish (US) on bass, and Jamie Murray (UK) on drums, along with Cormac McCarthy (also Cork, yes referred to as a separate country), on piano.

Two longstanding stars of the Irish jazz scene featured at The Cooler in mid-October. Livia Records returned for the launch of the Carole Nelson Trio’s new album, Through the Storm with Cormac O’Brien and Dominic Mullan. Featuring an exploration of the call of the extinct bird the kauai’o’o which Carole also explored in her BAN BAM commission, the album is another excellent example of what Ireland’s musicians have been releasing this year.

10 years after celebrating Tommy Halferty’s 70th birthday along with IMC’s 25th, we were thrilled to have Tommy back for another birthday concert this year, featuring a new birthday present suite written by Ronan Guilfoyle along with arrangements of Tommy’s own works. Still going strong, Tommy’s print on Irish jazz guitar is as deep as ever. Some guitarist for one guitarist.

Pianist Cormac McCarthy returned in November for the launch of his new album Cosán Casta with fiddle player Aoife Ní Bhriain, mixing traditional music with jazz and classical influences effortlessly.

Across the pond, the island of Ireland was well-represented at the Jazz Promotion Network Conference in 2025. Showcases included Sligo pianist Nils Kavanagh’s Trio, David Lyttle’s phenomenal Jazz Juniors, and NI guitarist Joseph Leighton’s quartet (also featuring Galway’s Riley Stone-Lonergan).

Two top-notch Irish ensembles closed out November. Kevin Brady with his longtime collaborators Dave Redmond and Scott Flanigan, with a mix of standards and original music that the Journal of Music called “a real meeting of imaginative musical minds”.

Saxophonist, composer and mastermind behind Cookin’ Dublin and the Monday Jazz Jam at Arthur’s (amongst other things), Hayley Kavanagh’s Quintet “hit the sweet spot between spontaneity and ideas planned in advance”. (Journal of Music)

Our last Better Live tour of 2025 was with Swiss-UK-Irish group YDIVIDE, led by drummer Clemens Kuratle, and bringing back pianist Elliot Galvin and bassist Lukas Traxel to The Cooler, along with Dublin stalwart Chris Guilfoyle on guitar and saxophonist Dee Byrne. The group participated in a panel interview with Jazz Ireland’s In The Groove, hosted by Hayley Kavanagh, and also shared insights with Cooler members on how they work as an international ensemble in a Cooler Clinic. The performances featuring work from their new album were one of the last events of the year in The Cooler, and the very last event of the year in the beautiful historic building at Tinahely Courthouse Arts. Thanks to Kieran, Red, Hayley, Eric, Clemens and Creative Europe for making this possible.

The very last event of the year at The Cooler leaned into old favourites, with grooving rhythms and a proper order horn section from Aren’t Blakey, going through the Jazz Messengers charts. Featuring Linley Hamilton (trumpet), Cathal Roche (sax), Paul Dunlea (drums), Cormac O’Brien (bass), Scott Flanigan (piano), and Shane O’Donovan (drums), the sold-out gig was a proper send off for the year.

As you may have heard, December also came with quite a blow to the future of the Cooler, with a notice to quit issued to the whole of The Complex for the 14th of January. The rallying around The Complex has been incredible, with a 16000 strong petition, march on Leinster House, questions raised in the Dáil and much more, but within the private market, our future is still uncertain. You can read more about the situation here, including links to sign the petition or contact your TDs or councillors. We hope to continue in the home that we’ve made, but whether or not this is possible, we’ll continue to make a home for Irish improvised music wherever we can, with all of your incredible support.

Happy Christmas and Happy New Year from the IMC team.

Kenneth, Caitriona, Louis, Nora, Bianca, and Aoife.