Zoe and Idris Rahman in concert

Zoe & Idris Rahman in concert
Idris and Zoe Rahman are talented musicians from the UK. Acclaimed with various titles in the contemporary jazz scene of Europe, they came to Dhaka, recited stories of Bangladesh through their music and left the crowd mesmerised. Writes Faizul Khan Tanim.

Photos by Andrew Biraj

Zoe was playing as if her fingers were moving like butterflies and the flute of Idris sounded like the powerful wind. Anyone who went to see Idris and Zoe Rahman in concert on March 24 and 25 came out besotted by the beauty and dexterity of their performance. The show was organized by the British Council Dhaka at the Shaheed Zia Auditorium of the National Museum in Dhaka.

Their set comprised of musical scores of popular Bangla modern and Tagore songs like Cholona ghure ashi, Abar hobe toh dekha, Purano shei din-er kotha, Muchey jawa dinguli and more. The tunes were frequently merry but occasionally melancholy, incorporating an interesting fusion and striking a love-struck balance between the East and West. Their cousin Palas Khan sang on the first day, while renowned singer and composer Ornob performed with the Rahman duo on the second and last day of their performance.

Zoe was described in The UK Observer newspaper as ‘one of the finest young pianists in Europe’ while Idris is the tenor saxophonist of the band Soothsayers and, both of them firmly established themselves as bright stars in the contemporary jazz scene. Idris Rahman also co-writes and produces the band’s material.

British Council Dhaka was pleased to present Zoe & Idris Rahman in concert on 24 & 25 March 2007 at 7pm at Shaheed Zia Auditorium, National Museum, Shahbag, Dhaka 1000. Zoe’s most recent album, 'Melting Pot', has been short-listed for the 2006 Nationwide Mercury Prize and was voted 'Jazz Album of the Year' at the 2006 Parliamentary Jazz Awards. The album has been hailed as ‘one of the most distinctive piano trio albums’ (Jazzwise magazine), a ‘fantastic new album’ (Courtney Pine, BBC Radio 2), and ‘in every way, an impressive sequel to her debut’ (Jazz Review). Born in Chichester, UK, Zoe studied music at Oxford University and jazz performance at Berklee College of Music, Boston, where she had lessons with the inspirational pianist JoAnne Brackeen. While in America, she formed her own trio featuring bassist Joshua Davis and the renowned drummer Bob Moses. Idris Rahman, tenor saxophonist is at the heart of the band, Soothsayers. Alongside co-leader Robin Hopcraft, trumpeter, Idris Rahman co-writes and produces the bands material. Their music offers a fusion of neo Afro beat and dub - a cultural blend created by movement of people, music with vision and a message. Apart from the tenor saxophone, Idris plays clarinet, bass clarinet and the flute.

*This article was first published in Glitz Magazine of The Daily New Age March 29' 2007