The Des Hopkins Original Guinness Jazzband features some of Ireland's and the UK's finest musicians. Over the years they have accompanied many famous international jazz artists, such the legendary Peanuts Hucko, Acker Bilk, and Kenny Ball on their Irish tours.
The band have a long association with the Dublin Guinness Brewery, as Ireland's Original Guinness Jazzband, they were sponsored by Guinness Ireland from 1986-2003.The band, also known in Ireland as The Cluskey Hopkins Band, play jazz festivals throughout Europe. They are in constant demand for corporate events, concerts, society weddings, and jazz festivals. Presenting a programme of traditional, swing dixieland, and mainstream standards, the band play with flair, excitement, showmanship, and superb musicianship.
Led by Irish drummer Des Hopkins , the band have for many years featured Mike Henry and Bob Hunt from the famous Big Chris Barber Band. And when they are touring with Chris Barber, they are replaced by two outstanding musicians Danny Hammerton and Andy Hillier.
The band is usually a six piece featuring trumpet, trombone, clarinet / sax, banjo / guitar, or piano, bass, and drums. They are always drawn from a pool of outstanding musicians, and some will double on other instruments and all are excellent vocalists. London session musician and composer, Paul Hart, of NYJO and John Dankworth fame, often augments the line up playing piano and violin, on both recordings and live shows.
The Des Hopkins Original Guinness Jazzband have had many, visits to Norway, with eight appearances at the Silda Jazz Festival , Haugesund, and the Stavanger Trad Jazz Festival. They also are regulars visitors to the famous Storyville Jazz Club, in Helsinki, Finland. The band have played every Cork Guinness Jazz Festival, Ireland, since 1979, and play the Southport International Jazz Festival UK, every year.
Unlike other bands the personal is selected from a pool of top musicians of outstanding ability, from both Ireland and the UK. The personal can change, the performance does not, with the band's exciting sound, swinging arrangements, and performances almost identical on each occasion.
The musicians are chosen from the following:
TRUMPETS - *MIKE HENRY/DANNY HAMMERTON/ **ENRICO TOMASSO
TROMBONES - ANDY HILLIER/ DOUG O'BRIEN/ or *BOB HUNT
CLARINETS AND SAXES - BARRY CLUSKEY/ARTHUR O'NEILL/OR JOE SILMON,
BANJO/GUITAR - BRIAN MELLOR
PIANO - **COLIN WOOD/ or PAUL HART
BASS - JOHN McCORMICK/**JOHN DAY/ or PAUL HART
DRUMS - DES HOPKINS
VIOLIN - PAUL HART
* FROM THE CHRIS BARBER BAND
** FROM THE ACKER BILK BAND
Go to the Des Hopkins Original Guinness Jazzband Gallery
