Businesses report biggest uplift in trade since Christmas over Guinness Cork Jazz Festival weekend

Businesses report biggest uplift in trade since Christmas over Guinness Cork Jazz Festival weekend

Macy Gray

“Jazz 23 has surpassed all others and that is saying a lot as 22 was amazing.  The crowds were up, the spend was up and there was an amazing atmosphere”

Businesses in the city are reporting another electric weekend for the 45th Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, with huge numbers attending, packing out the streets and stages of Cork City and beyond. 

 

The festival delivers approximately 100,000 visitors to Cork City over the 5 days, giving a much-needed local spending boost, which is estimated at €45 million.  The past two years in particular have surpassed all previous festivals.

 

The rain didn’t dampen spirits as jazz revellers attended packed out shows like Macy Gray, Morcheeba. Corinne Bailey Rae, Hypnotic Brass Ensemble and jazz greats like Matthew Halsall, Adam Ben Ezra, Gilles Peterson and Kurt Elling.  Jazz also spilled onto the streets of the city and Kinsale with The Big Fringe and there were numerous impromptu sets and magic moments, with headline acts surprising fans, much to the delight of those who were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

New York Brass Band, always welcome.

 

“We were delighted to build on the success of last year with an extra date added and 40% more shows across the city over the weekend.  Most of the events sold out and the feedback has been incredible” said Mark Murphy, festival director, who is working with Guinness to bring the festival on par with the best jazz and music festivals in Europe. 

 

Fiona Collins, chair of the Cork Jazz Festival committee, who organise The Big Fringe, the free programme of music across the city, said, “It was incredible to see so many people in the city, Douglas and Kinsale over the weekend.  Thanks to all the musicians who flew in from all over Ireland and abroad, to Guinness and to all the businesses involved, for making it such a great success.”

 

Kevin Herlihy, President of the Cork Business Association (CBA) and co-owner of the Herlihy Centra Group, said “What a weekend for all businesses in the city.  53,000 visitors coming through our airport and 100,000 flocking into the city is just exceptional and much needed for the business community.  Guinness and all the organisers should be very proud of the direction they are bringing the festival in.” 

On the street with Lamorotte from the Netherlands.

 

Aaron Mansworth, Managing Director of Trigon Hotels, including The Metropole Hotel, the home of jazz, said “The line-up was exceptional and even the weather didn’t dampen people’s spirits or the electric atmosphere across town”.

 

Philip Gillivan, from The Shelbourne Bar, one of main pubs on the Music Trail said, “Jazz 23 has surpassed all others and that is saying a lot as 22 was amazing.  The crowds were up, the spend was up and there was an amazing atmosphere in The Shelbourne and the VQ for the weekend.”

Local brass band Code of Behavior went down a treat on stage in Emmett Place.

 

Not only did the pubs, clubs, hotels and venues benefit, but there was a knock-on effect throughout the city.  “It was our best weekend since last Christmas”, said Claire Nash from Nash19. 

Guinness Cork Jazz Festival will take place again over the October bank holiday weekend in 2024. Keep an eye on guinnesscorkjazz.com or follow the festival on @GuinnessCorkJazz so you don’t miss out when tickets go on sale next year!  The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival is supported by Diageo, Fáilte Ireland, Cork City Council and Cork Airport.

Stellar programme for 44th Guinness Cork Jazz Festival.

press release 

Stellar programme for 44th Guinness Cork Jazz Festival

All Happening at the River Lee. Afternoon Tea, Harvest Carriage, Jazz Fest

All Happening at the River Lee

Afternoon Tea, Harvest Carriage, Jazz Fest

Petite pieces of finesse and elegance, crowned by this quartet of sweet sensations.
Congrats to the team here as their Afternoon Tea has been awarded best in Munster.

Always a buzz around the River Club in the River Lee. Even more so at present as the riverside hotel steps up another gear - no standing still around here. Latest highlights include a splendid Afternoon Tea and the Harvest Carriage. 

And, for the October Bank Holiday, between the Club and the River Room, there’s a score and more jazz slots, all free, a whole lot of fun from 5.00pm on Friday until 7.00pm on Monday. The excellent New York Brass Band will be here everyday. They are superbly entertaining and watch out too for the Art Crimes Band. But there is something for everyone. Check it all out here 

We were in for the Afternoon Tea last Friday but we also had a look at the Harvest Carriage. The what? Did you know that a three-foot narrow gauge train-line ran from Cork City to Blarney from the late 19th century until it finally ceased service in 1934.

The Harvest Carriage

The Cork and Muskerry Light Railway brought pleasure-seeking tourists from the city to the countryside and ran right through where the River Club now stands. This was the very site of the old Western Road station – in fact you can still see the remnants of the train tracks just under the terrace of the adjoining Grill Room restaurant and two stumps of supporting columns stand in the river outside!

These days, the riverside terrace has been decorated to evoke the good old days of train travel, not so much on the Cork and Muskerry, more like the luxury continental lines. The River Club, in partnership with Fever-Tree mixers, is offering a selection of cocktails to while away the “journey”.

And we started with one! Since we had been assigned to drive the express, the drink had to be non alcoholic. And our host, Pierce Lowney, General Manager, had just the ticket. A seasonal one, based on the refreshing and spiced Seed-Lip, with ginger beer and their own apple and pear cordial. Now, after that delicious Amuse Bouche, blow that whistle and check out the dining carriage for that superb tea.

River Club Bar

The menu follows the traditional three parts: savoury, scones and sweet, all tempting. Four finger sandwiches were Curry Spiced Coronation Chicken, Cucumber and Chive Glenilen Cream Cheese, Focaccia with sun-dried tomato and basil hummus and my favourite Dressed Ballycotton Crab on homemade Guinness brown bread.

The influence of Modern Botany was seen in the very tempting Bramley Apple and Flax Financier in the scone plate and in the sweets as well. There was Camomile and Honey Carrageen Moss pudding, Orange and Polenta Cake with calendula mousseline cream, Earl Grey Chocolate Choux Bun and a joint favourite Pineapple and Coriander Green Tea Tartlet.

We choose the House Tea here, Barry’s Gold Blend, to start with and when that pot was finished I switched to one of the Ronnefeldt Loose Leaf Teas, the delicious balanced Early Grey. And they had more to offer including an Irish Whiskey Cream tea! Coffees too of course.

Speaking of balance, I think that this was one of the best balanced Afternoon Tea menus I’ve enjoyed, not too heavy at all, even that green tea tartlet in the desserts is quite light. So, feeling nicely fed than overly so, off we headed on a leisurely walk downtown. No train going that way now.

Plants and flowers, both wild and cultivated, are at the heart of Modern Botany’s approach to skincare, using the best natural botanical ingredients to promote skin health, including flax, calendula, borage and chamomile. 

These same plants and herbs all feature in this Modern Botany Afternoon Tea at The River Lee. The company is based in Schull and draws on the botanical richness of the Wild Atlantic Way to create their products. And, if you are an Afternoon Tea customer, you’ll get a gift of a Modern Botany travel size gift.  

The River Lee Hotel  

Western Road

Cork

Must-see acts and events at this year’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival

press release

Must-see acts and events at this year’s
Guinness Cork Jazz Festival

2019 Guinness Cork Jazz Festival Programme is officially launched!

Mica Paris

"There is one city to be in this coming Bank Holiday Weekend," declared Michael Lyons, "That is Cork." Michael, On-Trade Sales Manager, Diageo Ireland, was speaking last evening as Guinness launched the full programme of events for the 42nd Guinness Cork Jazz Festival, which takes place over the bank holiday weekend from 24th to 28th October 2019. 

The launch, where the Guinness flowed and the bites by Roots Kitchen went down a treat, was held in the newly revamped Kino.Michael called all music lovers to come and experience the welcoming and party vibe in Cork for this year’s festival. “The festival has always boasted a line-up of music for the soul and we are thrilled to welcome some of the greatest musicians from the Jazz, RnB, Soul and Motown genres again this year. Those looking for a unique party atmosphere emanating from every part of the city have lots to look forward to with free gigs and fringe events for every palette.”

Earlier, Councillor John Sheehan, Lord Mayor of Cork, welcomed the continued support of local businesses in 2019, “The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival attracts more than 40,000 people to Cork annually and is worth millions to the local economy. Its continued success is a testament to the fantastic team ethos that has evolved over the years between Guinness, the festival committee, local government and the local business community and I wish it every success once again in 2019.”

Fiona Collins, Chairperson of the Guinness Cork Jazz Committee also spoke: “The festival committee is delighted to work in partnership with Diageo Ireland, Cork City Council, Cork Business Association, Cork Chamber and businesses all over the city to create another fantastic weekend programme to be proud of and it’s a great opportunity to showcase the city and it’s welcoming vibe to thousands of Irish and overseas visitors”.

The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival is one of the biggest and longest running events on the Irish music calendar. Every nook and cranny of Cork City will come alive across the festival weekend to the sounds of over 1,000 musicians and creative artists from more than 20 countries.

This year’s festival will host a fantastic array of top international headline jazz acts, including Martha Reeves & The Vandellas, Kurt Elling, The Big Brass Band Explosion, Dr. Linley Hamilton Quintet, Fred Hersch Trio, Mica Paris, and Spyro Gyra.

There’s also a great line up at the Metropole Festival Club, and an exciting fringe programme of free gigs and entertainment in over 70 city venues across the city.

This year we’re also looking forward to the Blaze of Jazz Parade, which will kick off the weekend on Friday 24th in spectacular ‘flare’. This family-friendly parade will feature a mix of red-hot jazz bands with fiery Cork characters in a dramatic musical march full of flaming antics. Other highlights include the Jazz Jamboree, Jazz Food Fair, and The Artistry of Frank Sinatra audio-visual event with more to be announced soon!

You could spend your time wandering from venue to venue, taking in free on-street sessions, but we also recommend booking tickets to at least one must-see acts on www.guinnessjazzfestival.com before it’s too late…

See you at The Met!

HEADLINER HIGHLIGHTS:

FRIDAY:

1. British soul queen and platinum selling artist Mica Paris singing Ella Fitzgerald.  Friday October 25^th, The Everyman, 8pm

1. Booka Brass Band, Ireland's first New Orleans style brass band.
   Friday October 26^th, Cork Opera House, 11.30pm

1. Prize winning saxophonist and composer Paul Booth followed by Tudo Bem’s celebration of the Music of Brazil at the much-loved Jazz at the Green Room sessions at Cork Opera House.  Friday 25 October 2019, 10pm and midnight

SATURDAY:

Spyro Gyra means your Saturday is sorted!

1. Big Brass Band Explosion – Three amazing brass bands - The OhnO! Jazzband, Hyde Park Brass, and Les FanFlures - will play back to back in a gig guaranteed to knock your socks off. Saturday October 26th, The Everyman, 2pm

1. 14-time Grammy nominee Kurt Elling will pay tribute to jazz legends like Louis Armstrong, Nat “King” Cole, Jon Hendricks, Shirley Horn and Nancy Wilson.  Saturday October 26^th, Cork City Hall, 8pm.

1. American Jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra whose 30 albums have sold over 10 million copies over four decades.  Saturday October 26^th, The Everyman 8pm

      1. Renowned ECM artist John Surman, who is known for expanding the horizons of jazz, will present a special concert with pianist Vigleik Storaas. Saturday October 26th, Triskel Christchurch, 8pm.

SUNDAY:

Martha Reeves

1. Northern Ireland’s famous Trumpeter Linley Hamilton is one of the most prolific figures in the jazz scene.    Sunday October 27^th, The Everyman, 2pm
2. Ariellle Besson, Sebastian Sternal & Jonas Bergwinkel Trio – Leading the new wave of young European improvising trumpeters, Airelle Besson will perform with pianist Sebastian Sternal, and drummer Jonas Burgwinkel.
   Sunday October 27^th, Triskel Arts Centre, 2.30pm

1. Motown diva and Grammy Hall of Famer, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, who is listed among Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 Immortal Artists”.
   Sunday October 27^th, Cork City Hall, 8pm

1. 14-time Grammy nominee and 2018 Jazz Pianist of the Year, Fred Hersh, is flying in from the US with his jazz Trio.  Sunday October 27^th, The Everyman, 8pm

Also, to mark ECM record label’s 50th anniversary, Triskel Arts Centre has curated a weekend of concerts and cinema during the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival weekend.

  Finally, you can’t miss out on the experience of attending a gig at the Metropole Festival Club, where a host of fresh new international talent will perform from the UK, France, Canada and Ireland. Entry is just €30 per person and will give you access to the entire hotel with jazz acts in four rooms including New York Brass, Pixie & The Gypsies, NC Grey and the Hyde Park Brass Band. The Metropole is also hosting a Jazz Platinum VIP Lounge this year where you can experience smooth purist jazz in an intimate setting with champagne and charcuterie boards, tapas and oysters for €75 per person.

For Guinness Cork Jazz Festival updates and tickets please visit www.guinnessjazzfestival.com. And follow the festival social channels for the latest news  -

Facebook.com/corkjazzfestival                                                                                                                              

twitter.com/corkjazzfest                                                                                                                                                     

#GuinnessCorkJazz

Enjoy Guinness Sensibly. Visit www.drinkaware.ie