Fri 28 Jul 2006
Zoe Rahman, one of the most talented up and coming musician in England has been shortlisted to win the mercury award, a very prestigious recognition in England.
Described in The Observer as “one of the finest young pianists in Europe”, Zoe Rahman has firmly established herself as one of the brightest stars on contemporary jazz scene.
I mentioned her music briefly at a review of a concert I went to.
You guessed it. She is of Bangladeshi origin.
Guardian covered this nomination like this
Jazz pianist Zoe Rahman was born in Chichester and studied music at Oxford University and America’s prestigious Berklee College of Music before becoming one of the most acclaimed artists on the UK jazz scene. Melting Pot, recorded with Rahman’s acoustic trio, was released on her own Manushi label in November 2005
The judges said: “One of the UK’s most distinctive jazz talents, pianist Zoe Rahman draws the listener into her own absorbing world.”
We said: “Rahman’s wayward and mobile left-hand patterns swerve under crisp postbop swingers, soft meditations with repeating low themes emerging under treble trills.”
We met the proud father after the Bangla beat concert. He was as Bangali as you could get inviting some of us for Daal-Bhat on a weekend. Sohini and the dad started singing “O nodire” spontaneously at the back stage.
Best of luck to Zoe!! Others can buy her album from here
July 29th, 2006 at 2:59 am
Dear Friends,
Warm greetings from an Indian in Calcutta. I am delighted to have discovered this blog from Bangladesh, and I look forward to browsing through and savouring the archive contents. For a feel of a thinking Indian’s sensibility - I would like to invite you to visit my blog at cuckooscall.blogspot.com Best regards, rama
August 1st, 2006 at 4:40 am
Zoe’s nomination for the Mercury Prize is fantastic. She’s a great musician with lots of imagination to take forwards. By the way, she has two musical siblings. Her brother Idris plays clarinet and saxophone and sister Sophie is a classical pianist.
September 15th, 2006 at 7:20 pm
Congratulations to Zoe. Her father taught me at college and was the most inspirational lecturer I ever had. He also took the whole of our class out for meals regularly. It is no wonder he produced such a gifted and brilliant daughter.