The Guinness Cork Jazz Festival returns this weekend with a massive lineup of international icons and rising Irish stars.
The Jazz takes place over the October Bank Holiday weekend in Cork City from October 24th to 28th with headliners like Buena Vista All Stars, Todd Terje, De La Soul, Maya Delilah, and plenty more.
Now in its 46th year, the festival will also showcase some of Ireland’s best emerging talent combining elements of Soul, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and R&B in their work such as Shiv, F3miii, Curtisy, Cooks But We’re Chefs, and Rachael Mae Hannon.
With performances spanning 99 venues across Cork, Douglas, and Kinsale featuring more than 500 artists, it isn’t possible to head to every event at Guinness Cork Jazz, but to help make the selection easier, we put together eight of the best sets to try to catch over the weekend.
Nialler9 is an independent publication…
Support us on Patreon, where you get exclusive playlists, Discord community access and more.
De La Soul & Special Guest
Hip-hop stalwarts De La Soul will fill the Cork Opera House on Sunday, performing strings of hits from their six groundbreaking albums spanning decades of bangers.
The Me, Myself, and I icons have primarily been playing as a duo since the passing of founding member David Jolicoeur, AKA Trugoy the Dove in 2023 but will play this Cork Jazz closer show with a special guest.
De La Soul will play at Cork Opera House on Sunday, October 27 at 7pm.
Bricknasty Present The Nasty Sessions Khakikid, Shiv, Curtisy, F3miii
Blending R&B, Hip-Hop, Jazz, and Soul, Bricknasty have been making waves across Ireland and Europe with their immense live shows. For their Cork Jazz show the group has invited some of Ireland’s most talked about performers.
The sessions bring together leading Tallaght-based wordsmith Curtisy, the melodic vocals of Dublin-based producer and vocalist F3miii, Zimbabwean/Irish R&B and Lo-Fi Hip Hop star Shiv, and Irish alt-rapper KhakiKid.
The Nasty Sessions will take place on Sunday, October 27th at 11:30pm in the Cork Opera House.
Theo Parrish
Known for his influential work in Detroit’s creative community scene since the 90s, Chicago-raised DJ, producer, and artist Theo Parrish delivers eclectic and extended sets, weaving House, Disco, Jazz, and Soul.
A legend in underground electronic music, Parish founded Sound Signature Recordings in 1997 and continues to produce vinyl records with the legendary Archer Record Pressing Co.
Theo Parrish will play Cyprus Avenue at 11pm on Friday, October 25th.
The X Collective and Friends
A vibrant music and arts community in Ireland, The X Collective unites artists, singers, rappers, and producers for some energetic and interactive shows blending Soul, Jazz, Hip-Hop, and Reggae.
Featuring Melina Malone, Chloë Agnew, Qbanaa, plus more, and support from TXC Brass Party, this Kino show promises to be one of Cork Jazz’s highlights with the high caliber mix of diverse artists.
The X Collective and Friends play Cork’s Kino on Saturday at 8pm.
Buena Vista All Stars presents: One Night in Havana
The Buena Vista All Stars, featuring Ibrahim Ferrer Jr, the son of the iconic Buena Vista Social Club singer, alongside a wealth of other renowned Cuban musicians, bring the essence of Afro-Cuban nostalgia to life with their show One Night in Havana.
The performance transports audiences from the Cork Opera House to the streets of Havana through a musical experience that celebrates and preserves Cuba’s rich musical heritage.
The set includes classics like Chan Chan and Dos Gardenias from the legendary Buena Vista Social Club album.
The Buena Vista All Stars will play the Cork Opera House at 7pm on Saturday, October 26th.
Cooks But We’re Chefs
Bringing elements of House, Funk, Jazz, Soul, and Hip-Hop, seven-piece Cooks But We’re Chefs encapsulate everything about the Cork Jazz Festival.
Their highly energetic show has earned them slots at Electric Picnic, Body & Soul, Bray Jazz Festival, Latitude, and main stage slots at Forbidden Fruit and Life Festival, alongside headliners at the Grand Social and Limerick’s Prima Volta.
Cooks But We’re Chefs play the Kino at 7:30pm on Friday October 25th with Rachel Mae Hannon supporting.
Toshín
Cork Jazz mainstay Tosin Bankole, praised as holding a voice as powerful as her icon Aretha Franklin, leads the vibrant, six-piece ensemble that makes up Toshín.
Playing tunes spanning from early Motown to Modern Soul and RnB, the group are hailed for their energetic live shows, blending James Brown-esque Funk with the heartfelt soul of Franklin.
Having previously supported Macy Gray, who opened up Cork Jazz in 2023 with a jam-packed Opera House show, Toshín know exactly what energy to bring to the festival, and how to deliver it.
You can catch Toshín playing Live At St Luke’s on Sunday, October 27 at 7:30pm.
Todd Terje
Blending catchy rhythms with dreamy synths and dubby sounds, Norwegian producer Todd Terje is a must-catch at this year’s Cork Jazz. With a unique mix of Euro disco, deep funk, and Latin Jazz, the electronic artist takes his moniker from New York House hero Todd Terry.
With support from John Bosteels, Todd’s late-night show is guaranteed to shake the dancefloor as Cork Jazz gets into full swing. You can catch Todd Terje playing Cyprus Avenue on Thursday at 11pm.
Full programme and info at guinnesscorkjazz.com.
