Zoe Rahman Trio

Zoe Rahman “Hull Suite Live” Tour

“The whole album is absolutely beautiful.” Nikki Yeoh, Jazz FM
“Full-blooded, chord splashing, orchestral approach to the acoustic piano.” Jazzwise
“Rahman’s playing is always intricate and surprising.” The Guardian ****

Line-up:
Zoe Rahman – Piano
Gene Calderazzo – Drums
Alec Dankworth – Double bass

We’re delighted to welcome the brilliant Zoe Rahman back to Wolverhampton Arts Centre, following her spellbinding solo gig here in 2019.

Zoe presents music from her new album “Hull Suite Live” with her world-class jazz trio, featuring drummer Gene Calderazzo (Pharoah Sanders, Randy Brecker) and bassist Alec Dankworth (Abdullah Ibrahim, Dave Brubeck). The album centres around music from Zoe’s “Hull Suite”, which was commissioned by Hull Jazz Festival for World Piano Day 2024. Based on themes of voyage, migration and the sea and taking inspiration from two statues in Hull, the music is also deeply connected to Zoe’s own family history.

A highly individual pianist and composer, Zoe Rahman’s style is deeply rooted in jazz yet it reflects her classical background, British/Bengali heritage and her very broad musical taste. A MOBO Award winner, Mercury Prize nominee and Ivor Novello Award winner, she has become a highly sought-after musician on the international jazz scene.

Zoe’s compositions encompass a wide palette, with earthy blues influences, soulful melodies and cinematic musical textures that highlight the vibrancy and interaction of this electrifying jazz trio.

FURTHER PRAISE FOR ZOE:
“I don’t recall ever hearing a Zoe Rahman recording or live performance that wasn’t completely fascinating in its rich and well-integrated mixture of idioms and influences drawn from, amongst other sources, her paternal Bengali heritage, maternal Irish tradition and classical experience. I still haven’t.” Barry Witherden, Jazz Journal, on Colour Of Sound (2023)

“Imperious… Zoe Rahman has deservedly garnered nominations and awards through her now decades long career. Colour of Sound shows us again why that is. It’s a big, rich and nuanced musical statement that will stand out amongst the year’s releases.” UK Jazz News

“This album presents a potpourri of musical elements infused by the varied backgrounds of the participants, by turns upbeat, swinging, joyful, funky, and ruminative. If it were possible to see Zoe Rahman’s group as a ship, it would be a mid-19th-century clipper with its hold crammed full of exotic spices all to be used to flavour Rahman’s new musical delicacies.” UK Vibe, on Colour Of Sound

“I can’t imagine a ‘best of’ list for this year that won’t be including this beautifully crafted album.” Chris Baber, Jazz Views, on Colour Of Sound

“This first ever solo recording by the British Bengali pianist is an arresting work suffused with enormous feeling, and bursts of surprising delicacy and power.” The Standard, on Dreamland (2016)

Header image by Lisa Indigo Burns Wormsley