For a night of fresh and exciting contemporary Irish jazz, check out Dennis Wyers’ Rhombus Quartet, performing at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar on Thursday August 20 at 8pm.
Rhombus jazz quartet features some of the finest established and emerging jazz musicians on the Irish scene. Led by Castlebar-born composer/saxophonist Dennis Wyers, the group is quickly developing a name for itself as a hotbed of spontaneous, exciting music. The ensemble draws on influences from Norwegian and British jazz, contemporary classical, the blues and South-Indian music, moving between many different styles and textures to create colouristic compositions and intensely rhythmical jazz explorations, with influences from Charlie Parker to Frank Zappa and from the Beatles to Pat Metheny. The debut album, part-funded by the Mayo County Council Arts Office, is currently in production. The full quartet line-up is: Dennis Wyers (alto saxophone ); Bill Blackmore (trumpet ); Cormac O’Brien (double-bass ); and Shane O’Donovan (drums ). Catch them now! Dennis Wyers’ Rhombus Quartet appears at the Linenhall Arts Centre on Thursday August 20 at 8pm. Booking advised. Tel: 094 9023733.
Betty Gannon exhibition at the Linenhall
States of Flux, the first solo exhibition by Westport artist Betty Gannon, continues at the Linenhall Arts Centre in Castlebar. States of Flux is an exhibition of drawings that explore architectural forms and spaces, inspired by the construction and demolition that in recent years became a ubiquitous feature of the changing face of Ireland. According to the Westport artist: “I am interested in the need we have to constantly change our environment, and what happens when we go about these changes. For a short period, locations are filled with great energy, which I attempt to recreate through my work.” Gannon explores this equilibrium of chaos and order through drawing, using a great variety of mark-making. The results are evocative, energetic and expressive, but also display a deft formal awareness of composition and modulation. An impressive first solo outing by an up-and-coming artistic talent. The exhibition runs until August 29. This exhibition has been grant-assisted by Mayo County Council.
Self portraits from Mayo schools
An exhibition of 21 self-portraits by students from Scoil Raifteirí, Snugboro and Cornanool National Schools continues in the Linenhall Arts Centre Foyer. Part of the international Belfast Children’s Festival in May this year, this expressive and engaging show is a result of the Linenhall’s ongoing Visual Art Programme for Schools. The young artists were facilitated by the Linenhall’s Arts access Officer Orla Henihan and artists Denise Clarke and Marianne Heemskerk. The exhibition runs until Saturday August 29.
