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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The Genuine Jazz Orchestra is a 17-piece Jazz Big Band, bringing new energy and passion to the music of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Gil Evans and many of the other legends of big band music.

Led by drummer Ben Cooper and multi-instrumentalist Podge Kilbride, the band members – a mix of seasoned professionals and up and coming players on the Irish jazz scene – share a hunger to preserve and energize the tradition of large jazz ensemble music.

Genuine Jazz Orchestra provide a rare opportunity for audiences to experience the thrill of these incredible big band compositions and arrangements as they were intended – live!

The group has played a number of packed to the rafters live shows over the past year – bringing vibrantly to life a repertoire of swinging sounds, timeless classics, elegant improvisations and original tunes. 

It’s magical stuff.

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