This weekend sees the 9th Annual Ardhowen Jazz and Blues Festival which takes place in the Theatre's Gallery Bar from Thursday 31st May to Saturday 2nd June nightly at 9.00pm.
This year the festival features performers from the United States, Norway and Sweden.
On Thursday 31st May, all the way from the heart of the Mississippi Delta comes the remarkable bluesman Boo Boo Davis.
Playing the harmonica from the age of five and blues guitar from he was 13 and now based in St Louis, Boo Boo is on the one hand admired as a traditional down home 'Howlin Wolf' style bluesman while on the other hand his latest CD 'Drew, Mississippi' features such contemporary styles as hip hop and scratching.
This contemporary style he feels is a way to connect with young people and help them relate to the blues.
Davis explains how times were hard when he was growing up and "just trying to survive was all we did".
'Howlin Wolf'
He acknowledges the legendary 'Howlin Wolf' as his role model and explains it was through hearing him, he was able to develop his own style.
He got to know the great man and in his early days of touring in the United States, Boo Boo Davis played with luminaries such as John Lee Hooker, Elmore James, Pete Williams, Robert Petway, Sonny Boy Williamson and Doc Terry.
As a member of the 'Lard Can Band' he remembers a battle of music between his band and a young BB King. Boo Boo Davis continues touring right up to the present day and his current tour of Ireland takes in no less than 15 different venues.
Gothenburg jazz
This Friday 1st June at 9.00pm, the 'Second Line Jazz Band' from Gothenburg in Sweden take to the stage for an evening of traditional jazz in the New Orleans revivalist style.
Formed in Gothenburg in 1989, the band quickly established themselves as one of the most popular traditional jazz bands in Europe.
Their original improvisations and arrangements and the tremendous intensity of their playing have made them much sought after for many jazz clubs and festivals in countries such as England, Germany, Holland, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Spain, Norway and Sweden.
Their unique style comes from their widely different individual musical backgrounds, but above all it is the New Orleans revival style which gives them the greatest inspiration and is the kind of music they specialise in.
The band members are Jesper Albrektsson on trumpets and vocals, Olaf Skoog on saxophones and vocals, Niklas Carlsson on trombone and vocals, Anders Wasen on banjo, Per Bach on double bass and Anders Ostlund on drums.
The final night of the Festival on Saturday 2nd June features the fabulously talented Dixi Jazz Band from Norway. Regular visitors to all the major British Jazz Festivals their quality is excellent. These young amazingly talented musicians are masters of their instruments and play with boundless energy, accolades such as "I have not heard a better band since the Dutch swing College of the 1960's" and "Easily the best band I have heard in 40 years" are just some of the most recent newspaper quotes.
True Dixieland
This true Dixieland line up of six young men between the ages of 19 and 25 who have played together since 1996 play traditional jazz inspired by the New Orleans of the 1920's. However their own unique sound and ability brings in elements of Gospel muisc and Latin rhythms and will ensure a fantastic finale to the 2007 Festival.
Favourites are back
On Friday 8th June JW Promotions present 'A Different Kind Of Country' which features James Quinn, Malachi Cush and Brendan Quinn together with some invited guests- while on Saturday 9th June, old favourites Clubsound are back after a long break to entertain with some of their own favourite comic musical routines along with some brand new material.
Joining George Jones on stage are Barry Woods, Davey McKnight, Alan McCartney and the talented newcomer Jimmy Black. Both these concerts start at 8.00pm.
