Press Release

Cool Contemporary Jazz at St Columb’s Theatre

Friday 25th April

The City of Derry Jazz Festival, organised by Derry City Council is thrilled to include one of the city’s most beautiful buildings, St Columb’s Theatre, Orchard St, on its list of festival venues this year. The Playhouse is currently residing at the theatre and so the venue has been selected to host an eclectic selection of contemporary music and artists that will undoubtedly delight younger festival-goers and impress real Jazz fans.

This dramatic venue will stage the perfect setting for one of the city’s most loved Jazz Ladies, Fiona Trotter and her trio, when she performs one of the festival’s opening gigs at lunchtime on Thursday 1st May. Later that evening Paul Buckley will be performing a selection of blues and jazz in his unique style. Hailed as one of Ireland’s rising new stars, Paul was recently described in the Irish Times as ‘Donegal’s best kept secret and a real find’.

A real treat is in store for jazz fans as the talented Tommy Halferty will be performing his Brazilian Project at the festival on Friday evening at 8pm. Without doubt one of Europe’s foremost Jazz guitarists, Halferty is originally from the city and has just returned from a successful tour of France and Germany.

One of the highlights of this years Jazz festival will surely be the appearance of legendary DJ, producer, and soundtrack composer, David Holmes at St Columbs Hall, Orchard St, Derry on Friday May 2nd.

Holmes is the Iggy Pop of the decks and was at the forefront of the dance music scene in Ireland when the house and techno boom hit in the late ’80s. His club night Sugar Sweet was the first venue for serious dance music in Ireland. Within a short space of time, David Holmes was recognized as one of the best DJ’s in the world, guesting at clubs everywhere and getting major remix offers.

His albums have all enjoyed commercial and massive critical acclaim and more recently, David Holmes has made Hollywood his second home, completing soundtracks for major films such as Out of Sight, Oceans 11, 12 and 13, Buffalo Soldiers and Analyze That.

Doors: 10.00pm - late. Adm: £7/8. Advance tickets are on sale now at St Columbs Hall Box Office and online at www.wegottickets.com/event/29875

You can catch a little Saturday afternoon jazz courtesy of one of the country's fastest rising jazz musicians, David Lyttle on stage at St Columb’s Theatre alongside his band featuring Nick Morgan, at 3pm. This group will explore the endless possibilities of swing in contemporary jazz and promises to be a quality event.

The Carmel McCreagh Trio are set to get the evening in full swing with their broad repertoire of contemporary and original songs. Carmel appears at many jazz festivals around the country and is a regular at the world-renowned Cork Jazz Festival.

The venue will round off its contemporary programme in style with one of the highlights of the entire festival, Equinox who will be performing their only Northern Irish gig at the festival. The band resides in the Netherlands, consisting of three Americans and one Irishman and their current tour is devoted to the music of the Thelonius Monk. Monk is considered one of the most important (and eccentric) jazz composers of the century, an early practitioner of bebop he composed classics such as ‘Round Midnight’ and ‘Straight No Chaser’. Fans of the underground can catch Equinox at The Playhouse on Sunday afternoon at 3pm.

The City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival is funded by Derry City Council and Guinness, and supported by BBC Radio Foyle and BBC Radio Ulster

For further information on any of the events at The Playhouse at St Columb’s Theatre contact the theatre box office on 028 7126 8027.

For information on accommodation please contact Derry Visitor Convention Bureau on Tel: (028) 7126 3511 (048 from the Rep. of Ireland). For further information about the festival log on to the festival website www.cityofderryjazzfestival.co.uk , pick up a festival programme from Derry Visitor and Convention Bureau or contact the festival office on 028 7137 6545.

Ends

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