The Good News and the Bad News

We will go for the bad news first…

Due to circumstances beyond our control, Rick Swann’s “The Jazz Story” planned for Saturday night in the Roe Valley Arts & Cultural Centre has been cancelled.  Our sincere apologies to all of you who were planning to go to the gig.

But now the good news, and it’s very good news for those Rick Swann fans among us, Rick will be playing at Drumceatt Civic Centre Square on Saturday afternoon, as part of The Brightlight Trio, an extremely talented and newly formed Jazz fusion group hailing from Belfast.

They consist of established musicians, Rick Swann on Trumpet, Organ & Vocals, Rohan Armstrong on Double Bass & Eunan McLaughlin on drumset – all of whom are carving out a niche for themselves in the Irish jazz music scene.

Rick has been pioneering The Jazz jam sessions in Belfast along with his residences in The Albany, The Perch and Ollies to name a few, not to mention his European touring schedule as a touring club performer.  Those of us who caught Rick at last year’s festival will surely be back for more !

A previous performer at our festival, Eunan is now a sought out in demand player on the Irish scene and has been busy with his own quartet this past year, playing at the festival last year along with the Derry Jazz & Big Band and playing on the main stage at Stendhal Festival Of Art.  On top of just returning home from a UK tour, he is hoping to release his debut EP mid July so keep an eye out for it.

Rohan fronts his own group Velvet Alibi, an 11 piece groove based originals band. He also plays with the John Leighton trio, Gay McIntyre, Fiona and John Trotter.

This is a fantastic trio of musicians who effortlessly blend jazz into modern RnB and funk. This year they will be bringing a few special guests with them so get down early as this will be one to watch.

See you at the Square on Saturday, from 2pm to 4pm.