Bray Jazz Festival

More info at: www.brayjazz.com

Missing for the past two years because of the Covid-19 pandemic, Bray Jazz Festival makes a welcome return, bringing top quality international music to County Wicklow on the upcoming May Bank Holiday weekend.

Stellar names in world jazz are on the bill for 2022, as the festival returns, in a slightly scaled-back post-pandemic format, on April 29th, 30th and May 1st next. Here’s InWicklow’s pick of the bunch:

YAZZ AHMED QUARTET (UK)

British Bahraini Yazz Ahmed won awards for both ‘best artist’ and ‘best album’ in the prestigious Jazz FM awards, in 2020. She’s a trumpeter at the cutting edge of urban UK jazz. (Mermaid, Saturday) TORD GUSTAVSEN TRIO

(NORWAY)

Possibly the best jazz pianist in Europe, Gustavsen’s distinctive Nordic jazz melodies are ambient and atmospheric, and have made him a major star. (Mermaid, Sunday)

ARIEL BART TRIO

(ISRAEL/JAPAN)

For those who think that the harmonica is the sole preserve of players such as our own Don Baker, think again. At aged just 23, Berlin-based Ariel Bart is a once in a generation talent that will put jazz harmonica at centre-stage for years to come. (Town Hall, Sunday) ILARIA CAPALBO QUINTET

(ITALY/SWEDEN)

Another female band leader and emerging star, bass player Ilaria Capalbo has been winning rave reviews for a spectacular debut album that she released at the end of 2021. She plays a matinee show at Mermaid on Sunday, 1st May.

RENAUD GARCIA-FONS & CLAIRE ANTONINI (FRANCE)

It’s baroque, it’s classical, it’s jazz, it’s folk – it’s music from two musicians at the height of their powers. (Town Hall, Saturday) BILL FRISELL TRIO (USA)

The biggest star who’s playing this year’s festival, he’s a Grammy Award winner and he’s one of the best guitar players in the world. He’s listed last as it’s certain that the show will have been sold out long before you get to read this! (Mermaid, Friday)