Jazz Guitarist / Electronica Producer
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I’m delighted to share with you that my debut album with Aengus Hackett Trio is out today on all platforms. It’s available to buy both in digital format and on CD on Bandcamp. Please check it and grab yourself a copy! Huge thanks to Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media for the … Continue reading Aengus Hackett Trio album out today!
Very chuffed with this lovely review of the album by UK Vibe! Truly humbled to be compared to serious jazz greats Pat Metheny, Lage Lund and Rotem Sivan 🤯Kind words by Steve Williams Heath, thanks so much! Full review below at ukvibe.org
Galway guitarist and composer Aengus Hackett has honed his creative voice for many years in collaborations with the cream of Ireland’s jazz scene. This is brought to the fore in his debut trio album featuring two of the country’s finest improvisers, Derek Whyte and Matthew Jacobson. Between them these seasoned performers have worked with leading international artists such as Kit Downes (UK), Ralph Alessi (US), Sanem Kalfa (TUR), and Irish stalwarts such as Mike Nielsen, Ronan Guilfoyle and Dirty Jazz Club.
Combining elements of jazz, rock and electronica, the eleven tracks of the album display Hackett’s diversity as a composer. The groovy opening track ‘Ximenyr’ nods the head to Hackett’s rock background, while ‘Nintendo Wars’ features infectiously playful guitar chords and angular rhythms. ‘See the Children Play’ has a bouncy swing feel, while ’Jasper’ features an uncanny groove in 13/16 time.
Produced at The Meadow studio in Co. Wicklow, the album’s sound benefits enormously by the expertise of leading engineer Rian Trench. Central to this sound is Hackett’s irreverent combination of straight-ahead jazz guitar tones with wonky effects pedal sounds to create a tapestry of futuristic textures.
Longterm collaborators, the rhythm section of double bassist Derek Whyte and drummer Matthew Jacobson think like one organism. The trio’s interplay in free improvisation reaches telepathic levels, such as on ‘Gerrymandering’, where bass harmonics collide with bowed cymbals, runaway electronic stutters and twangy overdriven guitar.
Created with the support of the MISP Award, Aengus Hackett Trio’s eponymous debut album was released on 24 April 2024.
* This recording was supported through funding from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media as administered via the Music Industry Stimulus Package 2020 *
“The performances from all three musicians are superb, suggesting they could have many fruitful years ahead together as they fine-tune their collective skills as a trio…The opening piece, “Ximenyr” nods the head to Hackett’s rock background, its Jimmy Page-like chordal beginning leading the way for some excellent bass and drums interplay, before taking off with its spiralling guitar solo…“Requiem for the Natural World” is ambient, awash with an eery atmosphere that could cut through a blade of knotted grass with a sharp knife… “Gerrymandering” is an interesting tune. I like this a lot, the cool, woody double bass and textural drums more than the sum of its parts as Hackett experiments with his outlandish pedal board. The gentler “Cephalopod” is perhaps the closest thing to a ballad on the album, no effects as such, just fabulous playing from the trio, with Hackett now sounding more akin to his jazz contemporaries Lage Lund or Rotem Sivan than the rock gods of the universe..“The Ineffable” luxuriates in its sound of a bygone era – almost like Pat Metheny and Jaco Pastorius together in the 70’s.” UK Vibe (Apr 2024, full article here)
” The work of an experienced, at times, experimental Irish jazz trio led by guitarist Aengus Hackett..Hackett’s sound makes us think of the style of long time doyen of the Sligo jazz scene Mike Nielsen who is certainly a kindred spirit and with whom Hackett has worked. Tunes make you stick around. Best track is the electronics shrouded ‘Gerrymandering’ that has firm bass developmental scene setting from Whyte reminiscent of the John Edwards manner in freeness situations and some detunery from Hackett that Mary Halvorson has done so much to bring the practice of which to the fore. Whyte’s arco passages on ‘The Ineffable’ are also a firm favourite of ours. And ‘Requiem for the Natural World’ even sounds a little Nordic so much so that fans of Eivind Aarset might even be drawn to its brightening air..“ Marlbank Jazz Blog, UK (Apr 2024, full article here)
“Aengus Hackett is, quite simply, one of Ireland’s premier jazz guitarists.” Connacht Tribune (Apr 2024, full interview here)
Galway-based producer Penji follows up his acclaimed debut EP of 2020 with his latest offering Future Nostalgia. The seven tracks showcase Penji’s experience as a beatmaker and one of Ireland’s leading jazz guitarists. Created with the support of The Arts Council, Penji explored themes of alienation and humanity’s growing dependence on technology during the pandemic.
Groove and harmony are to the forefront across the release. The title track features a lush guitar loop which unconventionally sits in 11/8 time, while ‘WORLDWIDEWEB’ is an all-out burner, an ode to the live-streamed empty dancefloors of the past few years.
Penji’s influences stick their heads in at times, whether it’s the looming spectre of Aphex Twin toe-tapping in the background or spiky melodies weaving their way through Plaid-like chord progressions. Penji’s alter-ego as a jazz guitarist is mostly kept on a leash, but at times it bursts through.
Returning to his sonic collaboration with UK engineer Bob Macciochi of Subvert Central Mastering (Om Unit, DJ Shadow, Lorn), Future Nostalgia is a sensitively produced LP which brings together diverse styles, tempos and textures in a collage of infectious tracks.
The album drops on all platforms October 25th.
Penji also worked with long-time collaborator AMW Visual on two music videos, which will be out soon.
Niamh Browne, Hotpress (Oct 2023 , read feature here)
Chris Nulty, Headstuff (June 2020, read review here)
Don O’Mahony, The Journal of Music (July 2020, read review here)
Made up of two of Ireland’s leading jazz guitarists, the Nielsen / Hackett Duo have a natural musical interplay. They have performed at leading venues and festivals in Ireland such as Galway Jazz Festival, The Glens Centre, Westport Jazz and have been featured on two of Dublin’s leading nights for contemporary music and jazz; Kaleidoscope and IMC Signal Series.
Guitarist, composer, educator and author Mike Nielsen is noted for his innovative performances and research. He has shared the stage with many international stars including Dave Liebman, Larry Coryell, Joe Lovano, Kenny Werner, Kenny Wheeler and the RTE Concert Orchestra.
Director of Jazz Performance at the TU Dublin Conservatory, Nielsen initiated the Masters in Jazz performance programme. His performance-based qualifications include a PhD in microtonal performance.
A graduate of the prestigious Conservatory of Amsterdam, Aengus Hackett has studied with world-renowned guitarists Jesse Van Ruller and Wayne Krantz (Steely Dan). Hackett has performed with legendary USA pianist Bertha Hope, and Irish stalwarts such as Conor Guilfoyle and Tommy Halferty. Aengus has also gained acclaim for his ‘JAZZGate’ series in his native Galway, which featured the cream of the Irish jazz scene.
“A new age of jazz is being spawned by an exciting and innovative crop of Irish musicians…the spadework was done by pioneering musicians such as Mike Nielsen.”
The Sunday Times
“Mike Nielsen is rapidly gaining a reputation as one of Europe’s most distinctive and iconoclastic guitar voices, equally innovative on electric and acoustic guitars.”
Sunday Tribune
”Guitarist/composer/teacher Aengus Hackett is fast becoming a pivotal figure of the Irish jazz scene.“
Jazziz Magazine, USA
Aengus Hackett proved himself an ingenious accompanist as he weaved his licks through the complex guitar chords. When he moved into his solo his octave-licks were sharp, clear, like a featherweight’s knuckles.…There were flashes of fire. As on “I Love You,” where he closed his solo with a chord run up the neck that shone like a seam of platinum. “
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