Matthew O’Connell, winner of the 2023/2024 ‘Excellence in Ensemble Performance Award’, will perform with his group in The Cooler on Thursday May 30th.

O'Connell is a Dublin-based jazz guitarist, educator, composer and recent graduate of DCU where he completed his BA in Jazz and contemporary music performance. With a unique and fresh sound, O'Connell draws inspiration from a wide range of styles and artists such as Kurt Rosenwinkel, Charlie Parker and Tom Ollendorf. He has played in many groups and projects as a bandleader and sideman such as ‘Blue Notes’, alongside Irish bassist and composer Ronan Guilfoyle, Tom Maxwell’s Organ Trio and his own Matt O'Connell Trio. For the past two years has also been developing a collaborative project named ‘2 Guitars’ with guitarist John Keogh. Joining O'Connell in this quartet are three highly acclaimed jazz musicians Aidan Gray (bass), Michael McCarthy (drums), and Darragh Hennessy (piano).