Berts Jazz Festival
Berts Jazz Festival returns to The Merchant Hotel this October for seven unforgettable nights of live music, incredible food, cocktails and the very best of jazz!
This year’s incredible line-up will transport you to a different corner of the jazz world each night, with live music inspired by a different country. And when the weekend arrives, step back into the roaring ’20s for two spectacular nights celebrating the Golden Age of Jazz. Expect hot jazz, glamour and late-night revelry as we transform Berts into a Prohibition-era speakeasy, complete with live music, delicious food and cocktails.
Whether you’re calling in for cocktails and soaking up the atmosphere throughout the week, or making a night of it with dinner and a show, there’s something for every jazz lover.
CUBAN JAZZ RHYTHMS
Monday 5th October
Start the week with a taste of Havana at Bert’s, blending Cuban melodies, Afro-Cuban rhythms and jazz. Book a table for dinner and enjoy authentic Cuban rhythms from our Cuban Jazz Duo (6pm - 8pm), followed by Los Cubanos, a quartet that brings the passion of the Buena Vista Social Club to life with rumba, salsa, son and cha-cha-chá. A vibrant night of music, food and atmosphere not to be missed.
6–8pm: Cuban Jazz Duo feat. John Trotter (piano and vocals) and Rick Swann (trumpet)
9pm – Late: Los Cubanos Quartet
BRAZILIAN BEATS
Tuesday 6th October
Join us for dinner or call in for a drink and let the live music take you on a journey through the world of Bossa Nova, Samba and Brazilian jazz grooves. Start the evening with the Bossa Nova Duo featuring the vibrant vocals of Kristine Mills, followed by Bossa Nova Blue - a band blending the syncopated rhythms of Bossa Nova with the harmony and improvisation of American jazz.
6–8pm: Bossa Nova Duo
9pm – late: Bossa Nova Blue
NEW YORK, NEW YORK
Wednesday 7th October
Make it a midweek treat with a night of jazz standards from the Great American Songbook to bebop and beyond! Scott Flanigan, one of Northern Ireland's finest jazz pianists, will be kicking things of with a solo set bringing his distinctive touch to jazz standards and original compositions. Later he will be joined by his band to bring you the Scott Flanigan Quartet and a night of Songbook classics, contemporary jazz and uptempo bebop.
6–8pm: Scott Flanigan (piano)
9pm – late: The Scott Flanigan Quartet
ONE NIGHT IN PARIS
Thursday 8th October
A night where French chanson meets the swinging sound of Parisian gypsy jazz! Start your evening with sophisticated French chanson and a touch of American swing and jazz improvisation from Sarah Jane Cooper (vocals) and Ryan Longridge (piano). From 9pm until late we've got a night of fiery, freewheeling gypsy jazz inspired by the legendary sounds of Django Reinhardt and Stéphane Grappelli, with Mateusz Hmmyeahlevysky (guitar) and Laura McGrath (saxophone) as part of the Nuages Quartet.
6–8pm: Sarah Jane Cooper & Ryan Longridge
9pm - late: Nuages Quartet
GOLDEN AGE OF JAZZ PARTY
Friday 9th October
Step into the roaring twenties as Berts transforms into a prohibition-era speakeasy with swinging jazz and bootleg cocktails. Dress in your finest flapper attire and soak up the exuberant sounds of our live jazz bands.
Join us for our early sitting and enjoy an a la carte menu and The Golden Age Jazz Trio with piano, vocals and trombone playing early jazz favourites.
From 8.30pm, join us for The Golden Age of Jazz Dinner - a five-course menu with two bespoke cocktails and live music from our exuberant seven-piece band Kyron Bourke and the Hard Boiled Shimmy Shammers as they bring the roaring 20s to Berts! Your table is yours for the night and you'll be in the heart of the action! Tickets are £120 and can be booked online.
Not joining us for dinner? Call into the bar for a drink and soak up the atmostphere with all our live acts.
6pm - 8pm: The Golden Jazz Trio
(pm - Late - Kyron Bourke and The Hard Boiled Shimmy Shammers
Early Sitting: Book a table
Golden Age of Jazz Dinner (Party Sitting): Book now
GOLDEN AGE OF JAZZ PARTY
Saturday 10th October
Step into the roaring twenties as Berts continues the Golden Age of Jazz as the bar transforms into a prohibition-era speakeasy with an all-day line-up of swinging jazz.
Book your table for lunch or dinner or pop in for a drink to enjoy everything from smooth afternoon piano with Barry McCrudden, to the Bea Howard Trio’s fusion sounds, to timeless jazz standards with the Hamilton & Bourke Duo.
From 8.30pm, join us for The Golden Age of Jazz Dinner - a five-course menu with two bespoke cocktails and live music from the amazing Winne Ama Quartet. London-based Northern Irish-Ghanain artist Winne Ama returns to Berts with her joyful, expressive take on jazz, soul and storytelling. Your table is yours for the night and you'll be in the heart of the action! Tickets are £120 and can be booked online.
Not joining us for dinner? Call into the bar for a drink and soak up the atmostphere with all our live acts.
12pm - 2pm: Barry McCrudden (piano)
3pm - 4.30pm: The Bea Howard Trio
6pm - 8pm: Hamilton and Bourke Duo
9pm - Late - The Winne Ama Quartet
Early Sitting: Book a table
Golden Age of Jazz Dinner (Party Sitting): Book now
THE GRAND FINALE
Sunday 11th October
Close the festival in style with lunch or dinner and unforgettable music. Join us during the daytime to soak up gentle piano jazz in the afternoon with Ryan Longridge followed by the expressive jazz vocals and virtuoso rhythms of Berry Robinso and Steve McClenahan. For the festival finale, Kyron Bourke & The Sazeracs will be joined by some special surprise guests to perform songs from the New American Songbook: modern classics reimagined with a jazz twist, plus requests from the room.