In this episode, IMC’s director Kenneth Kileen and guest host Matthew Winkler caught up with jazz guitarist Joe O’Callaghan. Matthew is a Dublin-based guitarist and has been running a YouTube channel with a series called Dublin Guitar Duets, and Joe - who was mostly self-taught guitar - has played with many leading Irish and international jazz musicians. Joe O’Callaghan is a genuine force in Irish jazz guitar, his playing characterised by extended tasteful lines, contemporary chord shapes and...

In this episode, IMC’s director Kenneth Killeen sat down with US pianist Craig Taborn to discuss all things improvisation prior to his triumphant Dublin concert. Craig was kicking off his European tour in support of his latest ECM solo release, “Shadow Plays” - released 10 years after his first offering, “Avenging Angels.” In this wide ranging conversation, they talked about Craig’s approach to improvisation and how it forms his distinctive process of spontaneous composition; Taborn is...

In this episode, IMC’s Kenneth Killeen caught up with Segun Akano & Uché Gabriel Akujobi from Yankari Afrobeat Collective at The Sugar Club. They talked about what makes Afrobeat - the culture, rhythm, & message that’s essential to it, and about identity, and transforming identities bringing cultures together. We also got a great insight into Yankari’s creative process, and how they work together making music. Die-hard Fela fans, Dublin-based band Yankari, aspire to advance the origin...

At The Sugar Club before a vibrant performance by Niwel Tsumbu’s Hearbeat (with special guest Shayan Coohe), IMC’s Kenneth Killeen caught up with Niwel in a long chat about musical explorations while growing up in Congo, falling in love with the guitar, meeting and collaborating with Irish-based musicians, and more. Since arriving in Ireland in 2004 from the Congo, Niwel Tsumbu has developed an enviable reputation as a masterfully elegant and fluent guitarist, vocalist, musician, collab...

At the Sin É before a beautiful performance, IMC’s Kenneth Killeen caught up with singer Christine Tobin and guitarist Phil Robson in a long chat about returning to Ireland, approaches to creating music from poetry, working together and influence on each other’s work, jazz scenes in NY and the UK, and some words of advice for young musicians. Christine Tobin Renowned for her kaleidoscopic musical palette, she can be a junkyard blues philosopher, snappy beat seductress, a conduit for exq...

Kenneth Killeen of IMC caught up with legendary Detroit-born drummer Jim Black amidst his pan-European tour as a mentor of a musical laboratory, Criss Cross Europe. Jim is currently coaching the band of six rising stars of the European jazz scene, whose tour stops in Dublin at the Freemasons’ Hall on Thursday 9th December 2021. https://www.improvisedmusic.ie/events/details/criss-cross-dublin Berlin-based American drummer Jim Black - is one of the most influential voices in ...

Welcome to the sixth Blind Date Jazz episode of IMC’s Creative About Music Podcast. For this musical blind date, we paired up guitarist Chris Guilfoyle with tenor saxophonist Meilana Gillard. Each episode in Blind Date Jazz is a new encounter between 2 artists , playing ‘blind’ with no knowledge who the other person is, no advance preparation or even an indication of instrumentation. Halfway through we drop the curtain and they suddenly see who their new improvising partner is - can you hear ...

Welcome to the fifth Blind Date Jazz episode of IMC’s Creative About Music Podcast. For this musical blind date, we paired up percussionist Sean Carpio with trombone players Colm O’Hara. Each episode in Blind Date Jazz is a new encounter between 2 artists , playing ‘blind’ with no knowledge who the other person is, no advance preparation or even an indication of instrumentation. Halfway through we drop the curtain and they can see who their new improvising partner is -can we hear a change in ...

Welcome to the second Blind Date Jazz episode of IMC’s Creative About Music Podcast. For this musical blind date, we paired up guitarist Hugh Buckley with bassist Derek Whyte. Each episode in Blind Date Jazz is a new encounter between 2 artists , playing ‘blind’ with no knowledge who the other person is, no advance preparation or even an indication of instrumentation. Halfway through we drop the curtain and they can see who their new improvising partner is -can we hear a change in the m...

Welcome to the second Blind Date Jazz episode of IMC’s Creative About Music Podcast. For this musical blind date, we paired up guitarist Mike Nielsen and saxophonist/clarinetist Cathal Roche. Each episode in Blind Date Jazz is a new encounter between 2 artists , playing ‘blind’ with no knowledge who the other person is, no advance preparation or even an indication of instrumentation. Halfway through we drop the curtain and they can see who their new improvising partner is -can we hear a chang...