The Beat Of A Different Drummer

Harold López-Nussa travels light…

atest press release from The Bray Jazz Festival, issued on Tuesday, March 24th 2026…

A Havana-born pianist steeped in the traditions of Cuban jazz and a former UK Jazz Singer of the Year will play in Greystones as a part of this year’s 25th anniversary of Bray Jazz Festival.

Pianist Harold López-Nussa, who records on New York’s legendary Blue Note Records label, brings his Cuban trio to Whale Theatre on the opening night of this year’s festival, Friday, 1st May next.

He will be followed to the venue on Saturday, 2nd by award-winning singer Sara Dowling, who’ll appear with the quartet of London saxophonist Sam Braysher. Their project That’s Him is inspired by the Broadway songbook of German-American composer, Kurt Weill.

Born in the Middle East to parents from Palestine and Ireland, Sara Dowling was the UK Jazz Awards Singer of the Year in 2019. Her singing has echoes of such jazz and soul greats as Betty Carter, Sarah Vaughan and Anita O’Day.

Whale Theatre has become a mainstay of Bray Jazz over the past number of years, and tickets for this year’s shows are available from the theatre box office.

Those who are interested in checking out some of the other live music happening at this year’s 25th anniversary Bray Jazz Festival will be pleased to hear that DART services aren’t going to be disrupted for maintenance this May Weekend, so you can always hop on a train if you want to investigate.

This year’s Bray Jazz will present shows featuring 17-times Grammy Award nominated US pianist Fred Hersch, by one time member of Cuba’s legendary Buena Vista Social Club, Roberto Fonseca, and by US trumpet legend Eddie Henderson. Also on the bill are performers from Mongolia, France, Ukraine and South America, as well as the very best players in jazz in Ireland.

You can grab tickets for Harold López-Nussa on Friday, May 1st here and Sam Braysher with Sara Dowling on Saturday 2nd here, plus find out more about the 25th Bray Jazz Festival here.