'Successful' Limerick festival celebrates a modern jazz fusion

ORGANISERS of the annual Limerick Jazz Festival have hailed this year’s series of diverse performances as a “huge success”, coincided as they did too with a superb Culture Night. 

From September 22 to September 24, the city was a hub for jazz exploration at various venues, including Dolan’s, the Hunt Museum, and Limerick City Gallery of Art.

Two acts stole the show over the weekend; UK hip-hop saxophonist Soweto Kinch and his trio, and the jazz-fusion funk James Taylor Quartet.

On his last day in Ireland, Kinch jammed with a number of local musicians at the Hunt Museum as part of the annual festival jazz workshop.

After the workshop, Kinch told the Leader that his headline performance at Dolan’s Warehouse was “wicked and very good fun”.

It was the third time the BBC Radio 3 presenter performed in Limerick. 

UK jazz fusion band James Taylor Quartet performed for the first time in Limerick since 1992.

Performing a string of blaxploitation-inspired pieces, the fast-paced, funk four-piece played the familiar Green Onions by Booker T & the MGs, the Starsky and Hutch theme song, and a lengthy setlist of slick scores, combined with brilliant solos.

Limerick Jazz  Society’s John Daly said: “We had a programme that was very accessible and felt it would appeal to a much wider audience. Programming is a very important part of any festival and last weekend has proven this.”

Other notable acts included Booka Brass Band, Dublin City Jazz Orchestra, and The Mysterious Mr Valentine.