Zoe Rahman: Hull Suite Live

Hull Suite Live was written by Zoe Rahman for World Piano Day 2024 and commissioned by the Hull Jazz Festival. Two statues inspired the suite in the coastal city of Hull, "Voyage" and "Migrants Statue."  The two works, which stand on the waterfront, were erected to commemorate the city's history of global migration. The suite explores themes of family, migration and the sea. The work is particularly poignant for Rahman, whose family history mirrors these themes of migration.

Born in the UK to a Bengali father and English mother, Rahman initially studied classical piano at London's Royal Academy of Music, later winning a scholarship to study jazz performance at Berklee College of Music in Boston. She released her first album, Cynic, in 2001 (Manushi Records) and is regarded as one of the UK's most exciting jazz pianists.

The album was recorded live at The Vortex Jazz Club in London and features her trio with bassist Alec Dankworth (Abdullah Ibrahim, Dave Brubeck) and drummer Gene Calderazzo (Pharoah Sanders, Randy Brecker). In addition to the Hull Suite, the album contains three other Rahman originals.

The suite features six seamlessly flowing pieces, opening with "Across The Humber." Rahman's solo piano forms a brief, understated introduction before "Out To Sea" unfolds its charming melody, gradually gathering momentum as drums and bass enter, leading Rahman into an engaging improvisation.

Rahman explains the background to her narrative: "My mother emigrated from England to New Zealand when she was 10, travelling for six weeks by ship. She later met my father when they were both at Sydney University; he had traveled by ship from Bengal. I found out only recently that after going back to visit his family in Dhaka, my father needed proof that he had the financial means to support his return to Sydney, so my mother sold her piano so that they could be together." This theme is picked up in the excitement of "Piano Story" with its rhythmic chords, cascading notes and rolling rhythms.

Rahman's inventive phrasing alongside Dankworth's eloquent bass solo makes "Voyage" one of the suite's highlights. "Waves" brings an expressive solo piano interlude built around a winning melody, while the suite reaches a lively and entertaining conclusion with "East Coast," driven by a repeating bluesy piano motif.

The three additional tracks maintain the album's high standard. "Synergy" features powerful interplay and dazzling runs, while Calderazzo steals the spotlight on the dramatic "Red Squirrel." Although the transition into the bass solo feels like a somewhat abrupt halt, the vibrant and uplifting "Fresh Start" is arguably the strongest of the three.

Rahman's musical interpretation spans a wide range of moods, tracing her narrative of migration from the gently reflective through to powerful chords, rolling rhythms and high-energy interplay. Demonstrating once again that her exuberant spirit is backed by a formidable musical ability.