AERIE @ Billy Byrne's

This October sees AERIE return to Irish shores eight years after their ‘hatch and host’ tour here in 2016 launched their debut album. The pan-European jazz group has since released two more albums and performed over 90 shows around Europe and Asia. They have also had a change in the bass chair and are now a quartet instead of a quintet, but they pack no less of a punch in their high-energy, adventurous performances.

This time around they will be visiting Kilkenny (17th), Waterford (18th), Dublin (19th) and Cork 20th), performing new material in anticipation of their fourth album recording in 2025.

Led by saxophonist Ingo Hipp, AERIE was founded in Lucerne, Switzerland in 2013, where three of the four members met while studying. They have since released three albums and brought their music around the world, from Ireland to Luxembourg to Mongolia. As a modern European jazz ensemble, AERIE’s members represent Ireland, Germany and Switzerland.

The band's first album was released in September 2015 under the Neuklang label (Bauer Studios). Their second album, , followed in 2018 on the Berlin label QFTF. In 2019, they released their first live album: , which was recorded in Xi-An, China in 2018 and launched there on a return tour the following year.

If AERIE’s music were a painting, it would be big, lively and colourful. Hipp's writing showcases an incisive saxophonist/composer who has performed all across Europe, Asia and Africa. His intrepid concepts are in full force in this auspicious project, one that integrates fiercely grooving and high-energy jazz with rock and a touch of the unexpected, realised by his highly playful and interactive band (guitar - Switzerland), (bass - Germany) and (drums - Ireland).

press:

"Hipp’s real achievement here is in keeping his talented band together for more than one outing, and writing some gorgeous music that artfully exploits the proclivities of its members" Irish Times
"a boldly original composer... one of the most exciting of the current crop of maverick European jazz bands" All About Jazz

tour dates:

17 October | Billy Byrne’s, Kilkenny | 8.30pm | €15

18 October | Phil Grimes, Waterford | 8pm | €15 (presented by Subterranean Sounds)

19 October | The Cooler, Dublin | 8pm | €15 (presented by Improvised Music Company)

*20 October | plugd records, Cork | 7pm | €10

*support from Roslyn Steer

video:
bit.ly/AERIE_YouTube

audio:

SoundCloud | Spotify

Host or Publisher Matthew Jacobson