Triskel Christchurch, Cork Sunday 8pm €15 021-4272022
Of the new breed of piano trios that slipped through hole in the jazz perimeter fence made by EST, UK pianist Neil Cowley’s trio has been one of the most successful. Pounding the keyboard like a man possessed and building to the sort of crescendos that bring audiences to their feet, the former Brand New Heavy can certainly play a piano, but he can also work a crowd. Keith Jarrett it ain’t.
Cowley’s most recent album, The Face of Mount Molehill, added a string quartet to the mix and he is bringing the whole shooting match to Cork on Sunday. Usually, the words “string quartet” are enough to send jazz and rock fans running for the nearest exit, but Cowley and co pull it off, the strings adding an extra layer to the trio’s sound without compromising their essential appeal.
The concert marks the first anniversary of Triskel’s much-praised new Christchurch venue.
A Cork institution for many years, Triskel is the hub about which a wide variety of cultural activity in the city revolves and its stewardship of the new space – with its soaring roof and superb acoustics – has breathed new life into a beautiful old building. So here’s to many happy returns.
