interland series Dublin: Animal Society | Umbra

Wednesday 1st April, doors 8pm/music 8:30pm

Tickets: €12.50 online/€15 door (€10 limited early bird)

The interland series has been developed by IMC in collaboration with Jazz from Scotland and Creative Scotland, as an exchange across two countries, with double-header gigs bringing together an outstanding band from each country for performances in both.

The first edition of the series is linking the vibrant jazz scenes of two Celtic countries, Scotland and Ireland, with a double-bill featuring Scottish quintet Animal Society and Irish quintet Umbra.

ANIMAL SOCIETY

‘..hard-riffing band look set to catch the current wave of progressive jazz and metal acts on the rise...’ - Animal Society

Animal Society is a new sound in UK jazz, somewhere in the void between Rage Against The Machine, Pat Metheny and EST. Ringleader Joe Williamson, guitarist and winner of Young Scottish Jazz Musician Of The Year 2018, presents daring new music – cutting-edge electric jazz with the uncompromising power of a stadium rock band.

Hook-driven melodies, soaring improvisations and joyful musical interplay underpin a sound rich in detail, and full of warmth and character. Their exciting live shows balance fiery grooves and heavy riffs with cinematic, ethereal soundscapes, performed by 5 musicians at the forefront of the new wave of Scottish Jazz.

UMBRA

'A vibrant set of original tunes… thrilling back-and-forth between the two saxophonists—but even in the midst of the most exuberant solos a pronounced sense of collective groove held sway.' - All About Jazz

Umbra effortlessly move between the rich harmonic world of contemporary jazz and the cyclical grooves of bands like Aphex Twin and Meshuggah, all played with the energy of a punk rock band. Influenced by John Hollenbeck and Jim McNeely, they have brought their particular style of ensemble-writing to the stages of 12 Points Festival, Vortex Jazz Club, Manchester Jazz Festival, Cork Jazz Festival, and Bray Jazz Festival amongst others.

Led by guitarist & composer Chris Guilfoyle, the music cleverly integrates this smorgasbord of influences to distill a band sound that is decidedly contemporary and complex, but which never loses sight of the melody. Drummer Matt Jacobson and bassist Barry Donohue lay down wonderfully elastic grooves, while the contrasting horns of soprano Chris Engel and tenor Sam Comerford make the most of the explosive front line in the company of Guilfoyle's intricate guitar playing.