One of music’s great icons’ backing band, Prince’s New Power Generation, will return to Cork for the first time in 30 years for the Jazz fest. Last time the ‘Purple Rain’ singer’s band made a visit to the city was 1990, and then to a sold-out crowd of 60,000.

Cork’s Jazz Festival was founded in 1978 and boasts acclaim as Ireland’s longest-running annual specialist music festival, recently revealing its three-day lineup. This year, the annual event will run from October 27 to the 30 and will present some new additions, including a new location, exciting pop-up activities, parties into the bleak hours of the morning, top-secret gigs and boat trips, musical collabs and street activity surprises.

Of course, the showcase from Prince’s good old band is a main highlight of the festival. The band remained loyal to the musical legend from 1990 until 2013, before reuniting in 2015 with their frontman for what would unknowingly be his final album, Hit n Run Phase Two.

New Power Generation’s performance at the Jazz Festival this October will include a special tribute to their vocalist and inspiration, whose spirit is kept alive through the continued passion of his band.

Along with NPG, other acts in this year’s lineup include Denise Chaila, Lyra, Hermeto Pascoal, Amaro Freitas, Jerron 'Blind Boy' Paxton, Gogo Penguin and many more.

As a sponsor for the event, Diageo Ireland partnership director Rory Sheridan spoke of the lineup for this year’s festival, sharing, “This year will see us welcome a world class line-up of both music and art to Cork, that represents, not just established artists, but also provides us with the opportunity to champion Irish and emerging talent on a global stage.”

The Cork Jazz Festival takes place this year from October 27-20 and is one of the top jazz events in the world. With an exciting lineup this year, you won’t want to miss ticket sales beginning this Friday, August 26 at 10am online.