Gettin' ready to jazzin' it again in Ballydehob for holiday weekend

By Peter Allen

BALLYDEHOB Jazz Festival celebrates yet another year of music this May Bank Holiday weekend.

The events programme includes international concert headliners, live music, dance workshops, art, concerts and the now-iconic New Orleans-style jazz funeral parade, featuring giant puppets. The locally-organised events will be spread out over the entire four-day period, making use of 11 venues across the village.

The festival will host headline performers from four continents: Europe, Africa, the Americas and Australia. The opening act will be the soul and R ‘n’ B outfit Barrence Whitfield & The Savages, from Boston.

They will be followed by the Home Jazz Band from Lithuania, who perform swing jazz music. The father and sons outfit, The Trio Balkan Strings, will perform a great range of guitar-based musical styles originating from the many countries of the Balkan region such as Serbia, Romania and Macedonia. 

The Moonshine Shindig Festival Club will be featuring some of the most recognisable trappings of the swing dance events of the 1920s’ ‘Great Gatsby’ era. Workshops will be held on swing dances like the Lindy-hop and the Charleston.

The popular New Orleans funeral parade will be held during the early Saturday and Sunday bank holiday weekend evenings. It will feature dancing, music, dress-up and more. The festival also features the jazz trail and a free bevy of eclectic live performances all over the village.

See www.ballydehobjazzfestival.org for more.