Glass Half Full At Guinness Cork Jazz Fest

First, the good news. This year’s festival ended on a high note with the trio of Fred Hersch, who had to cancel his booking last year. His highly individual sound relies on total command of the keyboard and, after a programme going from Ornette to The Beatles, he sealed the deal with an unaccompanied Irish folksong for his encore. Another winner, Kurt Elling made an impact with the Jon Hendricks version of Basie’s ‘Goin’ To Chicago’ and Kurt’s own lyrics to Ellington’s ‘Tootie For Cootie’, finally exploiting the acoustics of City Hall with an a cappella, un-miked ‘I Remember Clifford’.

Other high-profile successes included late-night sessions at the Opera House’s Green Room (such as Paul Booth’s Quartet) and the annual ECM weekend at Triskel Arts Centre. A pleasant surprise at this venue was the French trumpeter Airelle Besson, who was doing a five-date Irish tour. Her imaginative playing went from the almost free to the almost funky, well served by her German companions, drummer Jonas Bergwinkel and pianist Sebastian Sternal (a former student of John Taylor). Less unexpected was the warmth created by John Surman on soprano, bass-clarinet and recorder, in original material by himself and duo partner, Norwegian pianist Vigleik Storaas – except for another Irish folksong. Maybe this should be contractual in future years.

Regular readers will recall the dismissal in March of the festival’s director Sinéad Dunphy, but it’s worth noting that both Hersch and Elling were already booked by Dunphy, who also brought the Triskel’s ECM connection under the Guinness banner. Changes in management structure then added not only Mica Paris doing her Ella tribute, but a showcase for Martha and the Vandellas? And Sinéad O’Connor?? As for ageing Irish rockers Aslan – heralded by publication of their lead singer’s autobiography – well, give me a break. Or better still, give more breaks to bands who used to open double-bills, as trumpeter Linley Hamilton did this year for Fred Hersch.