Harbour Bar
Sunday, 4th May. Time 10pm

Named after an explosive Jan Hammer composition, ‘Magical Dog’ is a quartet dedicated to the high energy and explorative approach of the classic jazz fusion period.

Their focus is on the raw driving grooves and collective improvisation associated with the genre. With a combined deep knowledge and experience playing this genre, each member also brings their own unique voice to the ensemble.

Expect tunes from some of the most important composers from the fusion era, including John Mclaughlin, Jan Hammer and Steve Grossman.

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Harbour Bar
Sunday, 4th May. Time 6.30pm

Hayley Kavanagh is a Dublin-based saxophonist and flautist who’s become an active player on the Irish jazz scene since returning last year after a number of years living and performing in Prague and Berlin.

Since returning home she’s contributed as a sideman in various collaborative projects, and established her own ensembles. She’s also the co-founder of the Arthur’s Jazz Jam in the popular city venue, Arthur’s Blues & Jazz Club, and curates the Jazz Event Guide ‘Cookin’ Dublin’.

Her great young quartet includes Eric Doyle (guitar), Fionn Ruadh (double bass), and Niall Crichton (drums).

Hayley will present new compositions which have yet to be performed on stage as well as a selection of tunes from some of her biggest influences from the hard bop era, such as Joe Henderson and Hank Mobley.

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Harbour Bar
Sunday, 4th May. Time 8.30pm

Funkmeisters Chief Keegan released their debut album, The Piles High Club in early 2024 to rave reviews.

The album showcased the tight grooves and catchy hooks that had made the quartet such a popular live band on Ireland’s music scene.

Featuring keyboardist Luke Dunford, guitarist Mark Dudley, bassist Alan Elliott, and drummer Cian Hanley, the Chiefs keep up a relentless touring schedule and have been a popular feelgood outfit at festivals across the island.

They’re a remarkable instrumental outfit with a funky Memphis feel, that’s both rich and swampy.

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Hayley Kavanagh is a Dublin-based saxophonist and flautist who returned to Ireland in 2023 after seven years in Prague and Berlin.

Since then, she has become an active figure in Dublin’s jazz scene, leading various ensembles and collaborating on a wide range of projects. She has performed alongside some of Ireland’s most respected jazz musicians, including So-Young Yoon, Derek Whyte, Linley Hamilton, and Cathal Roche.

In addition to her performance work, Hayley co-founded the popular jazz jam at Arthur’s Blues & Jazz Club and the jazz event guide Cookin’ Dublin, both of which have become important parts of the city’s jazz community.

The Hayley Kavanagh Quartet, featuring Eric Doyle (guitar), Fionn Ruadh (double bass), and Niall Crichton (drums), delivers a high-energy, hard-swinging sound deeply rooted in the hard and post-bop traditions.

Drawing inspiration from jazz greats like Joe Henderson, Hank Mobley, and Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, the group combines driving rhythms, intricate harmonies, and bold improvisation. Their repertoire blends original compositions with carefully selected standards, capturing the intensity and soulfulness of ’50s and ’60s jazz while bringing their own contemporary interpretations to the music.

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Acclaimed Galway guitarist and composer Aengus Hackett has established himself as one of Ireland’s leading jazz guitarists. He has played with the cream of Ireland’s jazz scene – Mike Nielsen, Tommy Halferty, Conor Guilfoyle, Izumi Kimura, Bill Blackmore, Greg Felton, and Damian Evans – as well as with the RTÉ Contempo Quartet and trombonist Colm O’Hara’s 10tet.

In his Aengus Hackett Trio he is joined by two of Dublin’s most in-demand players, drummer Matthew Jacobson and bassist Derek Whyte. The band’s released their acclaimed debut album was last Spring. It made number three in the Irish Times critics poll of best jazz albums of 2024.

A graduate of the prestigious Conservatory of Amsterdam, Aengus studied under world-renowned guitarist Jesse Van Ruller and in the US, with the likes of guitarist Wayne Krantz, Curtis Fuller, Pat LaBarbera and Grammy-winner Bobby Shew. A versatile musician, his projects also reach into electronica, hip-hop, post-rock and folk.  

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