by Rose Rushe
DOONBEG tunes up for its annual music blitz, the June weekend of The 16th Doonbeg International Jazz Festival for which there will be dancing in the streets. All gigs are free.
The festival, scheduled for Friday May 29 to June 1, will play host to nine bands and performers from U.S.A, Ireland, Europe and the U.K in a full programme of free events over the weekend. The 17-piece Dublin City Jazz Orchestra with Nigel Mooney up front will headline, led by the legendary Ciaran Wilde.
Get your mojo going to four trumpets, four trombones and five saxophones “for a mind blowing performance of big band music from the ’40s and ’50s. There’s nothing quite like a big band,” observes annual organiser, Philppa Siegrist of the ska-rasta-jazz band Skazz. ”We’ve everything this year, from big band to bellydancers, ska to salsa, dixie to dinner jazz”.
Look forward also to the tenor Mooney’s outfit Organ Failure, featuring himself on guitar and tenor vocals, Scott Flanigan (organ) and Dominic Mullan (drums).
Who else is hotlisted for this Clare seaside sunset? Pencil in The Goulds from Austin, Texas playing flute and string bass; Joan Talbot and The Gerry Bradley Quartet; La Orquesta Kalamares, a small band of salsa musicians from Galway; Oregon’s The Underscore Orkestra; Cork based quartet Papermoon who are dedicated to jazz classics and ballads from Duke Ellington, Billie Holiday and that era.
Naturally Philippa and partner Peter’s own Skazz will be the backbone to excitement and are terrific people to mix the mix. All comers are welcome and the festival thanks all enablers, sponsors and supporters who make the big bells ring each year free to all. Clock favourites on www.doonbegjazz.com
