Sligo Jazz Artist-in-Residence 2017, Soweto Kinch has amassed an unprecedented array of accolades including a nomination for the much-coveted Mercury Award and two MOBO awards. His Sligo residency comes at the tail end of his Nonagram album tour, his live shows always delight and surprise. Kinch’s swaggering Bebop/Freestyle Rap/Hip-Hop mix adds a lot of spice to the more conventional jazz flavours you’ll sample this week. He now hosts his very own weekly BBC radio show ‘Jazz Planet’. Expect scalding hot hard bop jazz/hip-hop grooves spliced with free flowing fiery lyrics of the likes you’ve never heard before!
Virgil Donati’s astonishing drum performances have prompted collaborations with a huge range of world-renowned artists and he continues to push the limits of the instrument to astonishing new levels. Tonight he showcases his own music and pays tribute to his friend Allan Holdsworth, the unique British guitarist and musical collaborator of Donati’s, who passed away earlier this year. The incredibly prolific Russian bassist Anton Davidyants has taken the internet by storm with his virtuosic performances. Keyboardist Steve Hamilton is a regular with Billy Cobham’s band and guitarist Mike Walker’s dreamy playing will be familiar to anyone who came to see his band the Impossible Gentlemen at the last two Sligo Jazz Festival events. Our own Mike Nielsen adds a Sligo element to this exciting lineup.
