Leon Buckley EGAN’S, DUBLIN 17 June and consecutive Wednesdays Sax playing son of Irish sax icon Michael Buckley, Leon studed jazz at Dublin City University and is in residence at this central Dublin pub in the Aungier Street area keeping musical company with Greystones pianist James Fennell, double bassist Donagh Kelly and drummer Jarlath Byrne.
Sligo pianist Rory Conneally won the Irish Young Jazz Musician award a couple of years ago. He might just be on to something as his artistic tentacles grapple for a style to call his own with his already accessible approach not afraid to tackle middle of the road favourite Billy Joel’s ‘Piano Man’. His sound sits well with another melodicist the veteran pastorally inclined exiled Corkonian, John Donegan. The Young Jazz awards, a shot in the arm for jazz that is an unfairly neglected Cinderella of a genre in Ireland compared with exposure showered by local, regional and national media on country ‘n’ Irish, rock, pop and trad, returns to Limerick later this year.
The Treaty city is one of the great jazz hot spots along with Sligo for this great music anywhere on the island because of its September time festival on Shannonside. Of course, Limerick, having got over more than a few travails strewn across sensationalistic tabloid gruesome headlines down the years, you’re a Lady. Fact! The great Denis Allen folk song that’s long been held in high regard by Irish people without even thinking too hard got it spot on. The song is crying out for a decent jazz arrangement that’s not too tinklingly twee I reckon. [Alan Broadbent where are you – and step forward Nathan Carter perhaps to sing it, moving out of his comfort zone.] And the city punches above its weight yet again with the visit of Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra in August.
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