Whale Theatre, Greystones
Saturday 2nd May, 8.00pm
Tickets: €30

London-based alto saxophonist Sam Braysher teams up with Jazz Singer of the Year Sara Dowling to present a captivating jazz re-imagining of the work of the influential German-born American composer Kurt Weill.

Although Weill might be best known for his pre-war German works, including Threepenny Opera, featuring the classic, Mack the Knife, ‘That’s Him’ draws more on Weill’s work in the US, where he contributed significantly to  The Great American Songbook, and produced memorable, accessible tunes embraced by jazz singers from Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, and the golden era of Broadway.

Born in the Middle East to parents from Palestine and Ireland, Sara Dowling was the UK Jazz Vocalist of the Year in 2019.  With a voice capable of both tender intimacy and bold expressive power, her singing has echoes of such jazz and soul greats as Betty Carter, Sarah Vaughan and Anita O’Day.

The collaboration of Dowling with London-based Braysher has won widespread acclaim, with London Jazz News praising ‘That’s Him’ for its warmth and charisma, intimate storytelling and jazz sophistication in the presentation of classic songbook material, theatrical composition and heartfelt originals.

“There couldn’t be a more beautiful tribute to Kurt Weill” – Paris Move

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Leïla Martial is amongst the most daring and imaginative vocalists in modern European jazz.

Born to a family of classical musicians, she’s the first female singer to win the 1^st soloist prize at the prestigigious Concours National de Jazz de La Défense, and over the past decade she has established herself as a fresh, boundary-breaking presence on stages across France.  

Her album Warm Canto won the ‘Jazz Vocal Prize’ from Académie du Jazz in 2018, while in 2020 she was awarded the prestigious ‘Les Victoires du Jazz’ in recognition of her singular vision and her ability to reimagine the voice as a multi-timbral instrument.  

Martial is creatively restless, blending jazz with contemporary classical, folk, theatre, performance art and improvisation. Accompanied here by cellist Valentin Ceccaldi, her concerts are an unpredictable journey of colour, humour, emotion and daring. 

“Words just aren’t enough for Leila Martial, one of the most inventive young French vocalists of her generation” — Jazzwise Magazine

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Alina Bzhezhinska made history when she became the first harpist to receive the Best Jazz Ensemble of the Year award when her band Hip Harp Collective took the prize at the UK’s prestigious Parliamentary Jazz Awards in 2024.

One of the leading jazz harpists in the world today, Bzhezhinska is a one-woman powerhouse on a mission to bring harp to the forefront of contemporary sound.​  She has collaborated with internationally renowned artists including Brian Jackson, Chaka Khan, Shabaka Hutchings, Nu Civilisation Orchestra and DJ Spinna, and has, performed to audiences across the globe. Hip Harp Collective’s performance at Triskel Arts Centre in 2024 was one of that year’s highlights of that year’s Cork Jazz Festival.

Described by the Evening Standard as a “modern-day supremo,” Ukraine-born Bzhezhinska brings a fresh, dynamic vision to the harp, honouring jazz icons Alice Coltrane and Dorothy Ashby while incorporating elements of trip-hop and acid jazz into her music.

With Hip Harp Collective she’s played in recent times also as London Jazz Festival, Finland’s Tampere Jazz Festival, Paris Jazz Festival, Ronnie Scott’s Club in London, The Royal Albert Hall and at the WOMADelaide Festival in Australia.

Alina Bzhezhinska will be accompanied for her Bray show by long-time collaborator, the top UK saxophonist Toni Kofi, and by Matt Holmes (Drums), Menelik Clafey(Double Bass) and Joel Prime (percussion). 

‘…powerful, moving, take-your-breath-away’  – Downbeat Magazine 

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London-born trumpeter Poppy Daniels has emerged as one of the most in-demand young trumpeters in a vibrant London contemporary jazz scene.

She’s performed with the ultra-hip Grammy Award winning production duo Blue Lab Beats, and with Daniel Casimir, China Moses, Nu Civilisation Orchestra and such contemporary pop hit-makers as Arlo Parks and Celeste.  

After years building a name for herself and developing her sound Poppy launched her new quintet last year. It’s a project that’s been supported by London’s influential Jazz Re:freshed movement, and serves up a heady brew of jazz, fusion, hip-hop, neo-soul and Latin dance stylings.

Her six-track debut EP ‘Keep on Going,’ released by Jazz Re:freshed late last Spring was One Jazz ‘Album of the Week’ in May. The tunes are bright, colourful and packed with melody and groove. Poppy Daniel’s is a trumpeter whose sound is irresistibly contemporary. 

“A rising trumpet star … mixing contemporary jazz, neo-soul, and instrumental hip-hop” – One Jazz

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Shy Mascot are a Dublin based quintet that combines funk, jazz, and hip-hop styles to create a uniquely provocative sound.

Drawing influence from artists such as The Fugees, Weather Report, and Lianne LaHavas Shy Mascot’s music lives in a realm where complex jazz harmony, free flowing melody and interlocking grooves meet.

Varying between boisterous, fast-paced songs to minimalist, spaced-out jams, the band has performed at a range of venues around Ireland. From the intimate setting of the curated sofa sessions in Kilkenny to the rowdy, rain-soaked grounds of Knockanstockan, Shy Mascot are notorious for their ability to impress audiences in any setting. They’ve also knocked it out of the park at Bray Jazz at The Harbour Bar in the past, and we’re delighted to have them back for our 25th anniversary weekend!

The rhythm section, led by Keith Tobin, act as dynamic improvisational trio, and lay the perfect foundation for both Jamel’s fast-paced, hypnotic raps, and Fiadh Rua Gregg’s soulful vocals. The end result is an versatile quintet that weaves between melodious, ethereal spaces, and deep, filthy grooves guaranteed to get you moving!

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Also Featuring: Berri

Pianist and band leader Roberto Fonseca is one of the defining creative voices of the post- Buena Vista Social Club generation of Cuban jazz.

Recruited in his early 20s to play piano with various Buena Vista Social Club projects –collaborations with Ibrahim Ferrer and Compay Segundo included,  he later became musical director of Orquesta Buena Vista Social Club, and helped to bring the remarkable body of work of that collective of veteran Cuban musicians to audiences worldwide.

With a career that includes solo projects, global collaborations, and Grammy-nominated recordings, Roberto Fonseca today stands at the forefront of a new wave of Afro-Cuban expression—one that both honours the past and pushes fearlessly into the future. 

Gran División is Fonseca’s latest powerhouse ensemble, a group that embodies his vision of Cuban music as a living, evolving conversation. Funk, jazz, rumba, timba and traditional Afro-Cuban rhythms flow seamlessly through the band’s sound and groove, driven by Fonseca’s charismatic leadership at the piano. 

“La Gran Diversión is a tribute to the golden era of Cuban music, shaped by the man who arguably personified the revival of the Cuban sound – Arts Projects Australia

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Opening presentation in double bill with Roberto Fonseca’s La Gran Diversión

They’ve been described as ‘captivating, atmospheric and sublime’, Berri are a trio of Dublin-based jazz musicians led by vocalist Jenna Harris.

Harris is accompanied by drummer Matthew Jacobson and bassist Derek Whyte, performing a repertoire that draws from electronic music, pop and jazz.

Formed in 2012, Berrie released their album ‘Shadow Chroí’ in 2022, and received huge support from Irish radio, in particular RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta. The music they generate is a balance of improvised and clear communicative song.

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Italy-born Luisa Annibali is one of the leading lights in the new generation of jazz musicians on the Dublin jazz scene. Having moved from Rome to Dublin in 2016, she has quickly established herself as a singer and songwriter of repute.

She blends music from her native Italy with Brazilian tinges and contemporary jazz, allowing ample room for her distinctive voice to shine through.

Luisa released her latest album, ‘Libera’ last November. The result of five years of songwriter, the songs on ‘Libera’ reflect Luisa Annibali’sl take on jazz music, mixing feminist themes with contemporary jazz, her songwriting are reminiscent of artists such as Esperanza Spalding and Gretchen Parlato.

The music feels fresh and cutting edge while never losing sight of its roots in the jazz standard repertoire.

Luisa is inspired in her music by artists including The Fugees, Weather Report and Lianna LaHavas.

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Faster Shorter Louder is a Dublin-based trio featuring Matthias Winkler (guitar), Derek Whyte (double bass) and Hugh Denman (drums). The group takes familiar songs and reshapes them through improvisation, uncovering new rhythmic and harmonic possibilities while keeping the directness of the original material intact.

Drawing on Winkler’s expansive work with post-rock-influenced quartet ÄTSCH, Whyte’s long-standing role in ensembles such as ReDiviDeR and the Dirty Jazz Club, and Denman’s range from atmospheric soundscapes to free improvisation, the trio’s sound is both contemporary and rooted in the jazz tradition.

Like the classic trios of the 1950s and ’60s—or more recently The Bad Plus—Faster Shorter Louder approach popular music as raw material for exploration. The result is a set that feels accessible yet adventurous, appealing equally to jazz audiences and listeners from further afield.

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As Organ Freeman, guitarist/vocalist Charlie Moon, organist Darragh Hennessy and drummer Dominic Mullan have been a hugely popular fixture with a long-running residency at Dublin’s music bar, The Big Romance, on Parnell Street.

Drawing inspiration from the jazz organ trios’ golden era of the ’50s and ’60s, their music is a mix of timeless classics and original material, spanning blues, swing, funk and ballads. Charlie Moon’s vocal stylings reflect his influences, such jazz icons as Chet Baker and Frank Sinatra.

‘The group were joined by saxophonist Michael Buckley on their debut album ‘Busywork’, which attracted across the board positive reviews, when it was released, last year.

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