IN DEFIANCE of the impending reality of Brexit, and what it may mean for touring musicians, the Galway Jazz Festival has announced a line up for this October's event, that contains strong UK representation.
Under the banner of Brexit Schmexit, the festival will host concerts by vocalist/pianist Liane Carroll, rising piano star Ashley Henry, composer-performer Poppy Ackroyd, jazz-punk outfit World Service Project, ECM recording artist Huw Warren, and a DJ double act with snooker legend Steve Davis and Kavus Torabi.
The Galway Jazz Festival runs from Thursday October 4 to Sunday 7, and features more than 120 musicians, from 12 countries, playing more than 60 events across the city. Other acts announced are "the poet of German jazz", Julia Hulsmann and her trio; jazz harpist Kathrin Pechlof; and saxophonist Anna-Lena Schnabel, making her Irish debut.
“Nobody knows what's going to happen with Brexit," festival director Ellen Cranitch explains. "It could be that UK artists will need visas to come to Ireland in the future, we just don't know. We want to put a bit of a spotlight on what this may mean for the arts. We also want to bring peoples attention to the burgeoning UK jazz scene, something that gets overlooked in favour of more exotic European scenes.”
Details and ticket information are on www.galwayjazz.ie
