Guitarist, composer and producer Aengus Hackett has been burgeoning jazz in the West of Ireland for more than 10 years, with Galway Jazz Festival and his ‘JAZZGate’ series, working with the absolute cream of Ireland’s jazz scene. A graduate of the prestigious Conservatory of Amsterdam, Aengus studied under world-renowned guitarist Jesse Van Ruller.
Aengus’ past creative projects include explorations of Irish and Turkish folk music, Javanese Gamelan and post-rock.
Despite the pandemic, 2020 has been a busy and creative year for Aengus. Earlier this year, Aengus gave into a lifelong passion for electronic music and released his acclaimed debut EP as ‘Penji’. In November 2020, Aengus released ‘Shimmer’, a new series of compositions for guitar and electronics. Supported by the Arts Council, for this project Aengus explored composing through free improvisation. Using guitars, mixers and an array of effects pedals, he brings the listener on a journey of lush harmonies and textures. Aengus says about Shimmer:
“The musical moments which happen in the heat of the moment during improvisation have always been the most exciting to me, and so this series of pieces was my effort to capture that in the writing process.”
‘Shimmer’ is available to buy/stream on Bandcamp and SoundCloud.
Press:
” Guitarist/composer/teacher Aengus Hackett is fast becoming a pivotal figure of the
Irish jazz scene. “ Jazziz Magazine, USA
“It is not overstating it to describe Galway native Aengus Hackett as one of the most proficient jazz guitarists in the country.” Connacht Tribune
