Hi Arun, You’re
nearing the end of your Jazz Services’ supported tour – how’s it been going?
It’s been a fantastic tour
so far. We’ve had wonderful performances
across the country, in Manchester , London , Leeds, Totnes, Poole .
We also got across to Europe to perform in Mannheim at the Enjoy Jazz Festival
and now we’re heading up for the last leg of the tour, for Nottingham and of
course, Sage Gateshead.
It’s been really, really
enjoyable to take this music on the road, audiences have been great, really
enthusiastic, the album has been very well received. Lots of people are loving
A South Asian Suite live and so I’ve definitely enjoyed playing.
Are you playing
the new album – A South Asian Suite – in full on the tour?
In general, we’ve been
presenting A South Asian Suite in the first half of the concert and then in the
second half, performing some of my favourites from my 1st two
albums, Northern Namaste and Primal Odyssey.
We play the majority of A
South Asian Suite. On the actual album, there’s a few segues and intros to
particular pieces that we’ve not necessarily been doing all the time but the
main body of the Suite, the core six movements, have always been performed.
Is there scope
for extended improvisations in concert and have you heard – and perhaps been
surprised by – new things from the band?
With A South Asian Suite,
it’s been quite important to me to stick to the general structure of the album.
So much thought went into the arrangement of the work, that it’s very much a
part of the music. However, we still improvise, each band member has the
opportunity to improvise and to express how they are feeling, that evening, at
that moment.
In the second half, it’s
been a lot more fluid, with more interesting surprises. For example, hearing Zoe
performing some of the material she hasn’t played before and seeing what her
new input brings to those pieces.
Gem Arts, one of
the co-promoters of the Gateshead concert,
produces and programmes culturally diverse arts. Have you attracted a multi-cultural
audience on the tour?
Yes, over the course of
our performances in the major cities we have attracted a multi-cultural
audience that reflects the nature of those cities and also reflects the nature
of the band and this band’s appeal. Also,
we’ve attracted audiences across a broad range of ages, a good showing
from both genders, lots of new faces…we have definitely appealed beyond a
‘typical’ jazz audience. In places that are less culturally diverse, such as
Corby, Totnes and Poole , the audiences again
reflect the local demographic, so perhaps, less multi-cultural but still a very
varied crowd.
Zoe Rahman has
appeared on Tyneside many times and Geordie audiences loved her piano playing
from the beginning. How did you meet?
I’ve been performing with
Zoe’s brother, Idris for a long time. He’s appeared on all my albums, playing
tenor saxophone primarily, sometimes joining me on clarinet and, on A South
Asian Suite, also flute. He’s been a real stalwart of the band.
Separately I’d been aware
of and enjoyed Zoe’s music from my listening to jazz. We were booked to do a double bill with our
respective bands at Ronnie Scott’s Brit Jazz Fest in 2009, that led to Zoe,
Idris and I all playing together for one tune.
So the connections were
made organically.
With A South Asian Suite,
it was important to use piano, a vital musical element in the work and so
having always loved Zoe’s playing, I knew she would be perfect for it.
You have
performed at Sage Gateshead in the past. What do you make of the place and as a
northerner yourself, the people?
It’s a fantastic venue to
perform at, Hall Two has that wonderful combination of feeling quite intimate
but it’s a large venue. It has a wonderful sound, a great place to be. The Sage
is the place to play in the North East
so it’s a real honour to be returning there. I first played The Sage as part of
the Gateshead International Jazz Festival in
2010. I found that audiences were extremely warm, receptive and people that I
met after the concert were lovely.
In these difficult
economic times audience numbers have been down across the north east and as you
know, Jazz North East, one of the co-promoters of your Sage gig, have hit hard
times. Do you remain optimistic for the future of British jazz?
I do remain optimistic for
the future of British Jazz. It is very sad what has happened to Jazz North
East, however, I also believe they can and will galvanise support and make
their crowd funding campaign successful. I have contributed to it and I think
if, for example, all musicians who have ever been booked through Jazz North
East contributed a little something, that would really help them out. I would
really encourage musicians to do that. I think Jazz North East have
historically programmed such a diverse range of music - from free improvisation
through to better known Stateside jazz acts to up and coming artists, leftfield
artists, slightly different artists such as myself. They work really hard,
tirelessly, to keep things going and I think that’s not going to die. I feel
there’s always going to be an audience for jazz, there’s always going to be
musicians who are keen to play. I think we just need to keep on persevering.
Live music now is stronger than it’s ever been and I believe we’re going to
turn the corner.
I hope you enjoy
Sage Gateshead. I know many people are looking forward to hearing you and the
band.
Thank you, I am really looking
forward to sharing A South Asian Suite with as many people as possible and
can’t wait to get on stage tonight.
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