Swinging jazz festival to give local economy a €15m boost
THOUSANDS swayed to the beats as the Cork Jazz Festival got underway this weekend, but the sounds of tills ringing will be music to the ears of businesses in the city.
Festival director Jack McGowran last night said the festival will give the city a boost comparable to Christmas as the event continues to thrive, despite the challenges of our recessionary times.
Mr McGowran says hotels and pubs in Leeside can expect a cash injection of up to €15m over the weekend. He paid tribute to festival revellers for making the festival an exciting and vibrant event.
“It is the Cork people. The musicians cannot get over the welcome they get in Cork,” Mr McGowran told the Sunday Independent.
“Once they get off the airplane, they meet the guy running the transport and they are all in love with the jazz festival. It never happens anywhere else.
“Our international reputation is very strong. In a recession all over the world this is seen as a beacon of light. A festival which is growing where other festivals in Europe are not growing.”
The festival, which runs until tomorrow, will feature over 400 gigs in more than 50 venues across the city. Last night's headline act at the Opera House saw the muchanticipated visit to Leeside of Chic.
Nile Rodgers of Chic stole the show at Glastonbury over the summer and recently produced Daft Punk's chart topper ‘Get Lucky’.
Amongst the estimated 1,000 musicians taking part are the Mingus Big Band, who will share the bill at the Everyman this evening with electronic outfit Snarky Puppy.
The Mingus Big Band celebrates the music of legendary composer/bassist Charles Mingus, who died in 1979. Under the artistic direction of Sue Mingis, this 14 piece band is one of the wonders in jazz today.
Alt Rock group Primal Scream take to the stage at the Cork Opera House tomorrow night. Amongst the other acts to perform at this year's festival are Jazzie B and the Soul II Soul Sound System and Bilal and his band.
This year the pub will play an ever bigger part in the festival. Acts involved in the Guinness Music Xtra trail include the Hot 8 Brass Band, Glen Hansard and the James Taylor Quartet.
There are a host of free events throughout the city over the weekend including the Jazz Festival Choir directed by renowned UK jazz singer Lee Gibson, offering the chance for festival goers to participate in choral workshops for amateur singers.
Meanwhile, on the streets of the city, there will be a colourful array of performances from swing bands from Wales, a twenties style band from Copenhagen, a high energy brass band from Yorkshire and a nine piece marching band from Berlin.
Over the year the Guinness Cork Jazz Festival has featured a galaxy of greats including Ella Fitzgerald, BB King, George Shearing, Art Blakey and Mel Torme.
The festival first took place in 1978. The first festival at the Metropole Hotel was organised as a last minute replacement for a cancelled Bridge tournament.