Jazz at Johnstown

18/06/2026

Bossa Nua Sextet (Jazz at Johnstown Festival, Saturday, June 27, Visitors Centre, 4.00 p.m.) is a tribute to the timeless beauty of classic Bossa Nova. Drawing from the golden era of Brazilian music, the band is dedicated to recreating the elegant, soulful atmosphere of artists like João Gilberto, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Astrud Gilberto, and more. Rather than reinterpreting or modernizing these iconic works, Bossa Nua remains devoted to the authentic sound and spirit of the original recordings—preserving the subtle swing, warm harmonies, and gentle intimacy that defined a musical revolution. The mission is to
introduce new generations to the delicate brilliance of Bossa Nova and keep its magic vibrantly alive. Featuring vocals, Katherine Miller;
guitar, Fergal Twomey; clarinet, Brian Lav; double bass, Graham Lloyd; saxophone, Bob Batty and drums and percussion, Keith Doyle.

16/06/2026

Jazz and the Cart Room go hand in hand and this year Wexford-pianist Terry Bryne (Jazz at Johnstown Festival, Saturday, June 27, at 2.10
p.m.) delivers the third of his Jazz at Johnstown solo performances.
In general, jazz pianists already play piano at a high level. Like Terry, they usually have an intuitive understanding of music theory in contrast to pianists of other genres. Terry has always dedicated himself to both the art of playing jazz and of playing piano in his own style, harmonically and stylistically way ahead of many of his
contemporaries. (General admission to the estate and grounds guarantees access to the jazz programme all day Saturday and Sunday:
inquiries, please contact [email protected])

14/06/2026

Tiny Crimes (Jazz at Johnstown Festival, Saturday, June 27, at noon) celebrates the small band swing music era of the late 30s and early 40s, especially the music of the early pioneers of the Electric
Guitar: Tiny Grimes and Charlie Christian and of their peers, such as
Benny Goodman and Lester Young. The members are Richard King and Des McHugh on guitars, Graham Lloyd on bass, Bob Batty on saxophone and clarinet, and Fran Dowling on drums. They come from the diverse musical worlds of Gypsy Jazz, Chicago Blues, Bossa Nova, straight
ahead jazz and world music, with a common belief: “It’s always a good
time to swing!”

14/06/2026

https://youtu.be/JqLZmoAJGe4?si=IENUM0G-T4ahn9rF

Faster Shorter Louder

Faster Shorter Louder (Jazz at Johnstown Festival, Sunday, June 28, at
2.15 p.m.) 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. (General admission to the estate and grounds
guarantees access to the jazz programme all day Saturday and Sunday:
inquiries, please contact [email protected])

Exited about our second release from our 2025 recording session.T...

10/06/2026

Featuring Darragh Hennessy on piano, Dave Redmond on bass and Dominic Mullan on drums (Jazz at Johnstown Festival, Sunday, June 28, at noon.), this piano trio presents a tribute to legendary bassist Ray Brown. The concert focuses on music associated with Brown’s long career, drawing from the classic piano trio tradition and the swing era repertoire he helped define. (General admission to the estate and grounds guarantees access to the jazz programme all day Saturday and Sunday: inquiries, please contact [email protected])

08/06/2026

The Chris Colloton Organ Trio (Jazz at Johnstown Festival, Saturday, June 27, at 1 p.m.) led by Wexford contemporary guitarist Chris Colloton, draws inspiration from some of the most influential voices in jazz guitar. The trio explores the music of John Scofield, John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny, and more—blending groove, contemporary harmony, and improvisation. Featuring Luke Dunford (Chief Keegan, Bin Chicken) on organ and Lorcan Byrne (Basciville) on drums. (General admission to the estate and grounds guarantees access to the jazz programme all day Saturday and Sunday: inquiries, please contact [email protected]) Our clip features Luke Dunford doing what he does best at the recent Bray Jazz Festival

04/06/2026

De Morais, Eliasz and Kavanagh: Celebrating Jobim

Three musicians, one songbook. Brazilian guitarist Gustavo de Morais, Polish singer Kasia Eliasz and Irish saxophonist and flautist Hayley Kavanagh (Jazz at Johnstown Festival, Sunday, June 28, at 4 p.m.) play the music of Antônio Carlos Jobim: guitar, voice and flute. De Morais is a Brazilian guitarist based in Ireland, blending his heritage with contemporary jazz across festivals in Ireland and Europe. Eliasz is an award-winning vocalist, bandleader of a nine-piece Brazilian jazz ensemble and curator of the Kildare Jazz Festival. Kavanagh is one of the most active voices on the Dublin jazz scene and the Kildare Jazz Festival’s 2026 Emerging Act. Half a century on, Jobim’s songbook remains one of the great meeting points between jazz and Brazilian music. (General admission to the estate and grounds guarantees access to the jazz programme all day Saturday and Sunday: inquiries, please contact [email protected])

03/06/2026

https://youtu.be/3AGwnpIhr8I?si=0y5dzV0kKChPfHBN

Faster Shorter Louder

Faster Shorter Louder (Jazz at Johnstown Festival, Sunday, June 28, at 2.15 p.m.) 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. (General admission to the estate and grounds guarantees access to the jazz programme all day Saturday and Sunday: inquiries, please contact [email protected])

New release of my Trio "Faster Shorter Louder" playing a rendition ...

02/06/2026

Pictured at the Jazz at the Johnstown festival last year are Scott Flanigan, Kevin Brady and Cormac O’Brien. Cormac is appearing this year with the Dylan Tonge Jones Trio on Saturday, June 27, at 3.10 p.m. Scott and Kevin are starring in the John Moriarty Organ Trio on Sunday, June 28, at 1 p.m. (General admission to the estate and grounds guarantees access to the jazz programme all day Saturday and Sunday: inquiries, please contact [email protected])

02/06/2026

The John Moriarty Organ Trio (Jazz at Johnstown Festival, Sunday, June 28, at 1 p.m.) brings together guitarist John Moriarty with two of the most in-demand players on the Irish jazz scene: Scott Flanigan on Hammond organ and drummer Kevin Brady. Rooted in the classic organ trio tradition but firmly contemporary in approach, the group moves between groove-driven interplay, open improvisation, and spacious harmonic dialogue. Expect material shaped by deep musical rapport, drawing on the members’ experience across leading Irish jazz projects and live collaborations. (General admission to the estate and grounds guarantees access to the jazz programme all day Saturday and Sunday: inquiries, please contact [email protected])