Conor Guilfoyle Octet

Conor Guilfoyle is an Irish jazz drummer and composer who’s been one of the more active and thoughtful figures in the Irish jazz scene for years. His Octet brings eight musicians to Thomas Street for a programme dedicated to the music of Miles Davis.

An octet is a large ensemble for a venue the size of Arthur’s, which is part of what makes this interesting. The Miles Davis catalogue has been arranged for everything from small combos to orchestras, but an eight-piece in a relatively small room creates a particular kind of density and presence that you don’t get from a quartet, and can’t get from a recording.

What to expect

9pm Saturday at Arthur’s. The programme covers Miles Davis’s music, but Guilfoyle’s own voice as an arranger and ensemble leader shapes how you hear it. This is an interpretation rather than a recreation, which is what makes it worth attending rather than just listening to the records at home.

Thomas Street on a Saturday night is good for food before the show. The Liberties has solid options in the surrounding area.

Getting there

Arthur’s Blues and Jazz Club is at 28 Thomas Street, Dublin 8. Bus routes 51B, 123, and 77A serve Thomas Street. Tickets on Eventbrite; book early as Arthur’s has limited capacity.