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Scott Flanigan to relocate Scott’s Jazz Club to a more central Belfast location

marlbank29 September 20262 Mins read

A new point of departure and not long to wait until the club’s flit to new digs is complete

Flanigan’s debut album Point of Departure was released in 2015. The well schooled Brad Mehldau and Aaron Parks influenced player whose PhD revolved around the music of Lennie Tristano played organ for the Dave O’Higgins and Rob Luft quartet on the excellent Ubuntu Music release O’Higgins & Luft Play Monk & Trane. More recently the Belfast musician has mentored rising star the Bangor keyboardist Zak Irvine.

Moving in from the east of the city Scott’s Jazz Club is to return in December at a new Belfast city centre venue, with the club relocating from Ballyhackamore to the upstairs music hall at The Deer’s Head on Lower Garfield Street.

The move follows the end of the club’s six-year tenancy putting on weekly gigs usually at the Hack Club in East Belfast. The final concerts there took place recently. The club had been expected to pause live performances until 2027. Instead, Scott’s has now announced a return before the end of the year, with its first concerts at the new venue scheduled for 18, 19 and 20 December. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at 10am through the club’s website.

Pianist Scott Flanigan who regular plays at his club will lead the Christmas programme, with Rohan Armstrong on bass, Andrew McCoubrey on drums and Dave Howell on saxophone, alongside singers Kristine Mills and Kyron Bourke who is the force behind the jazz programme at Bert’s in the city among the artists to perform.

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The Deer’s Head Music Hall has a capacity of around 200 and has established itself as a regular live music venue in Belfast, with the upstairs room hosting artists from blues and traditional music to touring acts. The Steve White Trio for instance performed at the venue back in the spring.

Scott’s Jazz Club has operated since 2021, developing a distinctive listening-room approach in the upstairs space at Ballyhackamore Working Men’s Club. Founded by Flanigan, Cormac O’Kane and Richard Brown, the club became a regular Friday night fixture, presenting musicians from Belfast and across Ireland alongside visiting players from further afield. During its existence the BBC broadcast live recordings from the club run on the Belfast based station BBC Radio Ulster and through is sister station Derry’s BBC Radio Foyle over a few series widening its profile.

The December shows mark not just a Christmas return but the beginning of a new phase for one of Belfast’s newest jazz venues and adds to what’s on offer locally including the Dock Street night at the American Bar and at the city’s only 7 days a week jazz venue Bert’s.