Looking back at Signal Series 2019

“Anyone interested in where creative music is headed in Ireland should make the Signal Series their monthly check-in.” - The Irish Times

In 2019, Improvised Music Company committed to celebrating Irish jazz talent with the creation of a new monthly live event, The Signal Series, focused on showcasing the best emerging and established Irish jazz and improvised music acts from across the country.

The first year of Signal Series saw
61 Irish musicians from
11 counties perform
16 sets in
2 venues, for
8 brilliant nights of music.

Beginning in Temple Bar at The Wild Duck, the autumn season moved to the home of Dublin jazz at Arthur's Blues & Jazz Club. 2019’s ensembles included piano trios, guitar duos, instrumental quintets and quartets, organ trios and an array of vocalists in different set-ups. Styles ranged from the Brazilian-influenced Tudo Bem, to classic jazz vocal stylings, to the contemporary sonic explorations of ReDiviDeR.

Goldenplec reviewed May’s edition, featuring Cormac Kenevey & Paul Dunlea, and commented of the series as a whole:
“IMC’s been championing Irish jazz for over 20 years, and the Signal Series is a good way to appreciate just how varied the scene here is." -Goldenplec

Getting to know artists

One of our favourite things was getting to know so many thoughtful and dedicated artists. In our Q&A series, they shared with us some fascinating thoughts about making music, their inspirations and life.

From March: Chris Guilfoyle and Kevin Lawlor
From April: Aoife Doyle and Matthew Jacobson
From May: Cormac Kenevey and Paul Dunlea
From July: Tommy Halferty and Katharine Timoney
From September: F-JoB, Joe O'Callaghan and Arthur's Conall Lee
From October: Ronan Guilfoyle and Jennifer McMahon
From November: Darragh Hennessy and Aengus Hackett

Artists also shared with us some of their favourite music, and artists who had influenced them, and you can still listen back to these PLAYLISTS on our Spotify, with favourite music from the Darragh Hennessy Organ Trio, Katharine Timoney, Cormac Kenevey, and Paul Dunlea.

International Jazz Day

The year included a special edition of Signal Series for International Jazz Day on 30th April, introducing an audience of over 120 to the spectrum of Irish jazz, with Wicklow-based Aoife Doyle’s sweetly evocative songwriting, set against a through-composed 40-minute soundscape in ReDiviDeR’s no-holds-barred improvisatory style.

Looking ahead

We're already looking forward to the first Signal Series of 2020, taking place on Thursday 6th February at Arthur's Blues & Jazz Club, featuring BigSpoon and ÄTSCH, see you there!

We're now programming Signal Series for 2020, artists, please apply through our open call form HERE.

A huge thanks to Signal Series' performers in 2019:

February: Sue Rynhart & Band | Ben Castle Quartet
March: Oxygen Thief feat. Aleka | Kevin Lawlor Quintet
April: ReDiviDeR | Aoife Doyle Band
May: Paul Dunlea Quintet | Cormac Kenevey Quartet
July: Tommy Halferty’s Timeless | Katharine Timoney Quintet
September: F-JoB | Joe O’Callaghan Trio
October: Tudo Bem! | Jennifer McMahon Quartet
November: Darragh Hennessy Organ Trio | Nielsen/Hackett Duo

And another huge thank you to Red Keane at Jazz Ireland for videography and photography of the series.

Here's to another great year of Irish jazz in 2020!