Hot on the heals of Zoe Rahman's highly rated new album "Colours of Sound" (MANUCD007), comes her first solo piano album, "Dreamland", previously only available via Bandcamp.
Rahman's style is deeply rooted in jazz, yet it reflects her classical background, British/Bengali heritage, and her extremely broad musical taste.
About "Dreamland"
"Zoe Rahman's first solo piano album of originals and jazz evergreens, with first takes producing most of the forceful and tender results. Rahman's bass-stamping, McCoy Tyner-influenced rhythmic power surges through "Red Squirrel", and her lullaby "Fast Asleep" strikes a characteristic balance of warmth and strength. TheBengali poet Rabindranath Tagore song "Kar Milono Chao Birohi" is an anthemic melody over deep, rolling chords, and "Epicentre" is an impressionistic, free-rhythmic original. Duke Ellington's "The Single Petal of a Rose" is casually wrapped in graceful embroideries, Abdullah Ibrahim's "Sunset in Blue" rocks with the South African legend's youthful vim, and "These Foolish Things"combines a jaunty swing piano feel and an intensifying bluesy clout. Dreamland is a powerful testament to this fine pianist's growing authority."
Review quotes:
A joy to find Zoe fully in the spotlight, uninterrupted, on this dazzling solo session. A milestone" ***** BBC Music Magazine
"An exciting solo set, brilliantly performed and totally absorbing" **** The Observer
"An arresting work suffused with enormous feeling, and bursts of surprising delicacy and power....Rahman shines on her own" **** Evening Standard
"Always exciting, playful, muscular and a tiny bit unhinged, that's what I love about Zoe Rahman" Jamie Cullum, BBC Radio 2
"A powerful testament to this fine pianist's authority" *** Guardian
