This city's hot for jazz!
The City of Derry Jazz Festival is well and truly underway, and it's time to hear from festival co-ordinator, Johnny Murray, who's picked out some personal highlights over a very busy weekend of music and fun.
THE 9th City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival is well and truly underway and judging by the positive responses we're receiving already it's going to be bigger and better than ever.
With the legendary former Rolling Stone, Bill Wyman and his Rhythm Kings playing tonight and tomorrow night in the Millennium Forum, it's safe to say that Derry has hit on a winning formula which can attract the biggest names in the music world.
The Festival offers something for absolutely everyone from tourists to locals, from pure jazz fans to those just looking for a great night out. The streets are buzzing with excitement and the atmosphere is totally electric.
This year we have a couple coming all the way from County Meath to get married at the Derry's Jazz Festival because they love it so much – that tells you all you need to know about the friendly, happy vibe in the city over the Jazz weekend, when people are coming here for the most important day of their lives.
Personally I'm delighted that there is such a diverse and interesting range of acts in this year's programme. Jazz enthusiasts can enjoy sax legend Tommy Smith playing with the equally talented David Lyttle Group at the Playhouse on Saturday.
An Culturlann Ui Chanain will be hosting a performance by the Francesco Turrisi Tarab Ensemble with a special guest from Palestine, Haytham Safia. This fantastic and unusual gig will, be held tonight.
The Kind of Blue Session to be held at the Playhouse sees a live performance by a superb six piece band that will recreate the historic Miles Davis album 'A Kind of Blue', with narration by the BBC's Linley Hamilton.
Lumen Christi Big Band will be performing at the Millennium Forum Piazza tomorrowy evening while the Calgach Singers will hold a concert on Sunday afternoon at Culturlann Ui Chanain.
And of course many of the festival favourites will be back again - the Jive Aces, whose energetic performances always get the crowds dancing, will be performing at various venues throughout the weekend, Cat Scratch Fever, The Extraordinaries and Harry Connolly.
Favourites
Other favourites include the fantastic King Pleasure and the Biscuit Boys, the Kings of Rhythm, the Lee Hedley Band, OO Bop Sh'bam, the Roaring Forties, Slammers Maximum Jive Band and Wild. Local man Gay McIntyre will be back entertaining the crowds as will Joe and John Quigley, R Paul and the Mindbenders.
The festival sees over 300 musicians descending on the city, with more than 75 venues taking part.
The Free Guinness Jazz Trail is another massively successful aspect of the Festival, and with all the events on the trail being free it's no wonder the jazz weekend has become the most popular music event in the North West.
With so much on offer, the best thing to do is grab one of the jazz programmes, which are widely available throughout the city, pick out your personal highlights and make sure you don't miss out. Then again, how could you!
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Weather for Derry
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 18 mph
Wind direction: North east
Tomorrow
Sunny spells
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South east
