Tickets go on sale this Friday.

Macy Gray, Corinne Bailey Rae, Morcheeba, Matthew Halsall, and Grammy award-winning Kurt Elling are the first headline acts confirmed for this year’s Guinness Cork Jazz Festival.

Celebrating its 45th year, the world-renowned festival will see its biggest programme yet over the October bank holiday weekend (Thursday, October 26th to Monday, October 30th, 2023).

This year’s event will have more ticketed shows than ever before, an extra date added, an extended music trail through the city, and a stellar line-up of Irish and international musicians, including Cork favourites, Hypnotic Brass.

R&B star Gray will headline at the Cork Opera House on Thursday, October 26th, performing a special repertoire of classic hits from the 1970s and some showstoppers from her new album The Reset.

Fresh from a busy summer of headlining major music and jazz festivals all over Europe this summer, Morcheeba will celebrate the 25th anniversary of their first album with a gig in Cork Opera House too and the same stage will play host to Grammy Award winner Corrine Bailey Rae on Sunday, October 29th.

Kurt Elling, renowned for his singular combination of robust swing and poetic insight, will play The Everyman Theatre on Friday, October 27th.

Pop-up events, late-night parties, boat trips, collaborations and brass bands marching through the city streets are also par for the course so keep an eye on the listings for the best fringe events.

Tickets go on sale this Friday, July 7th, at 10am.