A group of four Dublin 16-year-olds could be set to storm the city’s reggae and indie scene. Good things have been heard about the new kids on the block – excuse the accidental Yankee pop reference – with the unusual name of Pudjet Sound. They’ve been recording and doing demos in their home town recently and Hot Press will keep you posted about their their future career . . .

Ennis singer-songwriter Kate Purcell is preparing a new single at the moment, called ‘You never said goodbye’. It follows on the heels of last year’s debut album A Dream Unfolds, which was written by Kate and her sister Mourette . . .

It’s good to see that Melanie O’Reilly is treading the boards with renewed success. Recently, in New York, she was selected to play the Lincoln Centre Out Of Doors Festival, an international Celtic showcase. Her Celtic/traditional Irish/Jazz fusion was aired in Whelans in Dublin in May and July of this year, and she will return to the venue on October 6th . . .

You may recall that Clifden was the scene of a major American-Irish singer-songwriting retreat, involving IMRO and various top music names, last year. Among those attending were Brian Kennedy and Naimee Coleman. The event was recorded by a Finnish camera crew with a view to compiling a documentary and follow-on album. But lack of finances seem to have put paid to the venture as various television stations and record companies have declined to support the project . . .

The award-winning nine-piece Cuban band, Sierra Maestra, stop off in Dublin’s Mean Fiddler and in Barrow Square in Belfast on August 20th and 21st respectively. The Havana group are named after a mountain range in the eastern part of Cuba and have been performing together for 22 years. Their 1920s brand of Cuban music, with an upbeat modern dance feel, is not to be missed . . .

We hear that Philip Fogarty has recently been receiving very worthwhile airplay on local stations. Fogarty will be gigging in Dublin and Galway this month . . .

Jasid Global, a follow on from Jasid Orchestra, have been rehearsing and recording for ten months and are now set to go on the road. They’ll be showcasing at the Roísín Dubh in Galway on September 1st. Insiders tell me that the vocals of Donna Nedrick will be more prominent in the band’s new sound . . .

On the trad scene, Tré are currently stirring things up somewhat. Dave Murphy (whistle, vocals, percussion), Graham Watson (percussion, vocals, guitar) and JP Kallio (bazouki and vocals) have played 88 gigs and 23 sessions since they were established just five months ago. With a summer residency in The Norseman in Dublin and afternoon gigs at The Temple Bar Music Centre, the Dublin-based trio look set to carve out a niche for themselves. Their first CD, One, will be launched with much fanfare at the Temple Bar Music Centre on August 11th . . .

The City Arts Centre’s third annual DIY Music Festival will be staged between Monday 24th and Saturday 29th of August. The week-long event is a celebration of community, ethnic and independent music, with workshops and gigs involving DJs and music trainers. Delegations will converge on the Moss Street site from Ireland, England, Italy, Cameroon, Nigeria, Australia and the Czech Republic. All gigs and workshops are affordable, ranging in price from £3-£5 . . .

There’s plenty of activity on the recording front at the moment. Relish are back in Pulse Studios in Dublin, demoing new material for EMI, while Angela Allegna is to release a new single through Warner in the United States . . .

Staying with the Dublin demo scene, The Groovy Things, Kosher and Maeve have some new material ready for the delectation of record gurus – let’s hope a deal follows for one of these promising acts at least. Bawl, Cuckoo, and The Hitchers are also in recording mode at the moment. Meanwhile, Beach and Rain are off to The States to play showcases . . .

Finally, on the subject of showcases, the Cork Music Resource Centre is preparing for a concert in September and would like to hear from all wannabees. If you have a demo, post it off now to 1 Washington Street, Cork . . .