Shy Mascot

Shy Mascot are a Dublin based quintet that combines funk, jazz, and hip-hop styles to create a uniquely provocative sound.

Drawing influence from artists such as The Fugees, Weather Report, and Lianne LaHavas Shy Mascot’s music lives in a realm where complex jazz harmony, free flowing melody and interlocking grooves meet. Varying between boisterous, fast-paced songs to minimalist, spaced-out jams, the band has performed at a range of venues around Ireland. From the intimate setting of the curated sofa sessions in Kilkenny to the rowdy, rain-soaked grounds of Knockanstockan, Shy Mascot are notorious for their ability to impress audiences in any setting.

The rhythm section, led by Keith Tobin, act as dynamic improvisational trio, and lay the perfect foundation for both Jamel’s fast-paced, hypnotic raps, and Fiadh Rua Gregg’s soulful vocals. The end result is an versatile quintet that weaves between melodious, ethereal spaces, and deep, filthy grooves guaranteed to get you moving!

*****

"(Jamel) Franklin confounds the MC stereo-type - bashful rather than boastful -but that just makes this elision of rap and electric jazz all the more engaging." - Cormac Larkin, The Irish Times

"A melding of rap and jazz that combines the murky, spare grooves of Wu-Tang Clan with the invention and harmony of fusion." - All About Jazz