Eduardo Niebla’s flamenco guitar sound: The best jazz music this week

Prepare for Aoife Doyle’s virtuosic interpretation of songs and some risks from Belfast pianist and organist Scott Flanigan


Wednesday, April 11th

Listen
Arthurs, Dublin, 8pm, €10, listen.ie
Composer Dylan Rynhart's monthly music salon is as eclectic and generous an evening of music as you are likely to find in the capital. Supported by Music Network and the Contemporary Music Centre, Rynhart's own music makes a rare appearance this month, with his talented Fuzzy Logic ensemble debuting new compositions inspired by speech melody and bird song with vocalist Sue Rynhart, pianist Izumi Kimura, saxophonist Nick Roth, bassist Derek Whyte and drummer Matt Jacobson. Also on the bill are Silver Kites with new and experimental music from vocalist/composers Fionnuala Conway, Lenka Dobai and Judith Ring; a programme of contemporary classical music from the DIT Saxophone Quartet; and a conversation with Rynhart himself about his work with speech melody.

Aoife Doyle Band
Dolans, Limerick, 8.30pm, €14/12, dolans.ie
Vocalist Aoife Doyle had already won the respect of many with her emotional and technically virtuosic interpretation of other people's songs, but last year's Clouds album revealed a writer of original material of real depth and honesty. The group on that record – pianist Johnny Taylor, bassist Andrew Csibi and drummer Dominic Mullen – is a Rolls Royce rhythm section and they will be joining Doyle on the road in the coming weeks, playing for the Limerick Jazz Society (Wednesday 11th), Arthurs in Dublin (Thursday 19th) and Tinahely Courthouse (Saturday 21st).  The Dublin-born singer is also appearing in duo with guitarist Hugh Buckley at the Derry Jazz Festival on May 4th.

Thursday, April 12th

Scott Flanigan/Dominic Mullen
Arthurs, Dublin, 8pm, €10, arthurspub.ie
Belfast pianist and organist Scott Flanigan certainly knows his way south, and for that fact, audiences in the capital are becoming increasingly grateful. Flanigan's debut album, Point of Departure, released in 2015, was a marker laid down by a player and composer of growing maturity and whether on acoustic piano or Hammond organ, Flanigan combines imagination and daring with a firm grasp of the jazz tradition. This collaboration with silky drummer Dominic Mullen in Arthurs promises music making and risk taking of the highest order.

Friday, April 13th

Eduardo Niebla
Triskel Christchurch, Cork, 8pm, €20, triskelartscentre.ie. Also Island Arts Centre, Lisburn, Saturday 14th
Flamenco is one of the original musical fusions, its roots and influences stretching across the centuries, suffused with flavours of India, southern Europe, the Magreb and the near east. So it's no wonder that the music of the Andalusian gypsy culture has been fertile ground for jazz musicians. Spanish guitarist Eduardo Niebla is one of the most noted exponents of the art, and his taut improvisatory style has graced records by popster George Michael and trance group Juno Reactor. He's in Ireland for a short tour accompanied by guitarist Matthew Robinson.