Green Room Jazz – Laoise Leahy

It seems fitting that Cork vocalist and composer Laoise Leahy will officially launch her ‘Breathe In & Let Go’ EP with a special performance in the Green Room, Cork Opera House, as part of the Cork Jazz Festival 2025 as it was throughout her artist residency here in 2023 that these songs and sound took shape and flight.

A native of Cork and a contemporary voice lecturer at MTU Cork School of Music, Laoise has established herself as one of Ireland’s most compelling and versatile vocalists. Known for her rich, soulful tone and fearless improvisation, she has performed and recorded with leading artists on the jazz, soul, folk, and contemporary music scenes, while nurturing the next generation of performers through her work as an educator.

Her debut EP, “Breathe In & Let Go”, produced by Christian Best, represents a new chapter in her artistic journey. The music draws inspiration from the ocean, nature, space, time and the rhythm of breath, weaving together jazz harmony, soul grooves, folk storytelling, and subtle electronic textures. The result is a sound that is deeply atmospheric and emotionally resonant.

Speaking about the project, Laoise says:

“This EP grew out of a desire to capture both the stillness and the intensity of being alive – the calm and the chaos. For me, music is about connection, release and freedom, and , in response to the demanding and busy modern world, I wanted this project to embody that.”

For this special 70-minute performance, Laoise will be joined by the acclaimed Johnny Taylor Trio, bringing their incredible studio performances to life alongside reimagined jazz works and spontaneous improvisation.

Audiences can expect a performance that is intimate, expansive, and profoundly moving – a celebration not only of an exciting new body of work and the joy and magic of live jazz, song and improvisation but also of Laoise’s deep roots in the Cork music community.

SPECIAL EFFECTS: This production may contain Strobe Lightning, Flashing Lights, Smoke and Haze.

AGE GUIDANCE: Strictly 18+

*Performance schedule and times are subject to change and may be affected by illness or events beyond the producers’ or venues’ control. Performers, dates, times, prices, and fees are subject to change without notice.