City of Derry Jazz Festival celebrates a quarter century of cool!

PICTURED ABOVE: Mayor’s Festival Opening Charity Party hosted by the Mayor of Derry, Councillor Martin Reilly in 2014, with former festival director Johnny Murray and Jack McGouran and Deirdre Smith, Cork Jazz Festival, with festival favourites, The Jive Aces. (Photo Lorcan Doherty Photography - courtesy of the Derry Journal)

When Rialto Manager Johnny Murray travelled to Cork in 2001, he wasn’t just going to enjoy the entertainment, he was looking for ideas.

At the time, the Cork Jazz Festival was the biggest of its kind in Ireland, a bustling celebration that had established a reputation for attracting some of the best talents in the industry, drawing crowds from far and wide. For Johnny and his colleague in Derry City and Strabane District Council, Gerry McColgan, it was the start of a remarkable journey which has led to the establishment of one of the biggest music events in the country – the City of Derry Jazz Festival.

As the city prepares to celebrate 25 years of outstanding music, live performance and international acclaim, Johnny looks back on the festival’s humble beginnings and the amazing legacy he is proud to have left along with his co-founders today.

“We knew it would be a bit of a hard sell,” Johnny recalls. “But we believed it could work - especially as a strong opening event in the spring events calendar.”

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Convincing people was the first challenge, with jazz still considered a niche genre here in the city known for its musical talent. “We brought it to the local pubs and they thought initially that we were mad,” he admits. “But thanks to strong relationships with local vintners and a shared belief in the city’s musical pedigree, support slowly gathered momentum.”

That first year, a handful of bands performed to crowds totalling around 6,000 people. The following year, the programme doubled. Then it doubled again. Word spread and audiences grew, and today, as the festival celebrates its 25th anniversary, more than 100,000 people flock to see Derry completely transformed over five extraordinary days.

“It’s become a massive celebration,” Johnny reflects. “Even when we started - and we had high hopes - we never dreamt it would grow into what it is today. One of the most important decisions made in those early days was to ensure the festival wasn’t exclusively for jazz purists. We understood from the beginning that it would only succeed if it wasn’t just pure jazz - that would have been too niche.”

Bill Wyman pictured receiving the International Music Award at the City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival from the Mayor, Councillor Paul Fleming, in 2010. Included at the presentation are Johnny Murray, festival co-ordinator and Phil Coulter. (Picture Martin McKeown - courtesy of the Derry Journal)

Venues such as the Playhouse became home to classic jazz performances, while pubs and city-centre spaces welcomed more commercial and crossover acts. The result was a festival that appealed to seasoned jazz aficionados and casual music lovers alike, a broad spectrum united by a passion for live music.

And it’s that community atmosphere, Johnny believes, that makes the festival truly unique.

“There’s nothing else like it. Everyone is here to enjoy themselves. The hospitality is second to none.”

While Council leadership laid the foundation, the festival’s enduring success has been powered by partnership.

“The city has really embraced it and made the festival their own,” Johnny says. “The local business community has thrown itself behind it. Hotels, restaurants, pubs and retailers all play their part, offering visitors a famously warm welcome. Sponsors, including long-standing supporters such as Diageo, have also been instrumental in helping the festival grow year after year. It couldn’t have happened without that partnership. That’s been the key.”

Over the past 25 years, the festival has welcomed an extraordinary roll call of talent, and for Johnny a few moments stand out.

“To bring performers like Jools Holland and Van Morrison to the city was such a privilege. To attract that calibre of artist was incredible. And I’m delighted to see the return of Curtis Stigers to the Millennium Forum this year. We found that artists would return because they have had such a great experience here. There’s a real warmth.”

Alongside international stars, the festival has always championed homegrown talent. From the very beginning, much-loved local musicians such as Gay McIntyre and George Hasson helped shape its sound and spirit. The ever-popular Jive Aces have also become firm favourites, returning year after year.

The Mayor of Derry, Councillor Helen Quigley, presenting Ruby Turner with the international Artist of the City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival. Included, are Johnny Murray, artistic director, and Joe Gallagher, promoter. (Images courtesy of the Derry Journal)

And nurturing the next generation has been just as important. Through schools’ programmes and performance opportunities on the outdoor stage, now named in memory of the late Gay McIntyre, the festival continues to inspire young musicians.

“It’s a great legacy,” Johnny says. “For the festival, and for Gay, who was such an inspiration to so many. Not to mention fantastic local talents like Jackie Molloy and Johnny Quigley who are no longer with us.”

Back in 2001, Cork was the destination for jazz on the island but the city’s ambitions were fuelled by the crowds who returned year after year.

“When we first set out, we were maybe a tiny bit sceptical ourselves. We always had aspirations, but we never imagined the festival would attract over 100,000 visitors and become such a driver for the local economy.

“A quarter century on, the City of Derry Jazz Festival stands shoulder to shoulder with the very best, carving out a reputation among artists and audiences alike. And if the past 25 years have proven anything, it’s that when this city gets behind something, extraordinary things can happen.”

Johnny Murray.

This year’s City of Derry Jazz and Big Band Festival runs from April 29th – May 4th with hundreds of acts playing over 70 venues – many of them free! The 25th anniversary edition promises to be one of the most memorable yet with programme highlights including performances by Curtis Stigers, April 29th, and Muireann Bradley, April 30th.

The Playhouse, Bennigans Bar and St Columb’s Hall will be transformed into dedicated Jazz hubs, hosting an array of acclaimed artists over the weekend, as well as a series of music, dance and jazz masterclasses to get everyone into the swing. People of all ages can enjoy the Bank Holiday vibes al fresco with live stages in the Guildhall Square and the Craft Village on Saturday and Sunday.

This year’s programme will be sponsored by Diageo and Share Energy and you can find the latest programme information online at cityofderryjazzfestival.com 

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