Released on 7 July, Colour of Sound is the latest album from multi-award-winning pianist Zoe Rahman, and the seventh released on her Manushi label. An emphatic return to form with high-energy original music performed by her top-notch octet, the album features bassist Alec Dankworth, drummer Gene Calderazzo, sax/clarinettist Idris Rahman, flautist Rowland Sutherland, trumpeter/flugelhornist Alex Ridout, trumpeter Byron Wallen and trombonist Rosie Turton. Speaking about the band Rahman explained: “I’ve chosen all the players for the strong connection I have with them. My music isn’t straightforward and needs people with depth to their playing, who can understand the complexities, but who can also express the emotional side of the music to really connect with the audience.”

Colour Of Sound represents Zoe’s most ambitious and uplifting album to date, with the music painting a wide canvas in vibrant colours. ‘Dance Of Time’ was inspired by the sound of McCoy Tyner. “The musicians I love are the ones who use the whole piano, like an orchestra - Ellington, Monk, Tyner, Joanne Brackeen - all those influences come out in the music somehow”. Caldarazzo is key in capturing the ebb and flow of the pulse - “Gene is so important - I never give him a chart and he just feels all the twists and turns and makes them seem natural”. The album gets its official live launch on Wednesday 6 September at Kings Place, London.

See the August issue of Jazzwise for an in-depth interview with Zoe about the music and its origins – for more info visit zoerahman.bandcamp.com/album/colour-of-sound

 The band play the following live dates:

17 July – Edinburgh Jazz and Blues Festival

20 August – Brecon Jazz Festival

6 September – London, Kings Place

12 September – Dorking, Watermill Jazz Club

21 September – Birmingham, Midland Arts

28 September – Newcastle Festival of Jazz and Improvised Music

8 October – Leeds, Howard Assembly Room, Opera North

13 October – Liverpool, Tung Auditorium

from www.jazzwise.com