Zoe Rahman played to a sold out Pizza Express Jazz Club in Soho last night for the first of two gigs dedicated to the launch of her fifth album, Kindred Spirits. In keeping with her previous releases, this album explores the music of Rahman’s heritage, with the inclusion of some distinctly Irish and Bengali traditional tunes given a reincarnation in the jazz idiom.

Joined by Italian bassist Davide Mantovani, who has made a name for himself on the world music circuit, and long term playing colleague powerhouse drummer Gene Calderazzo, the trio kicked their set off with ‘Down to Earth’, the first tune on the new album, which featured synchronised piano and bass melodic lines that shifted the time feel on hidden pinpoints, while Calderazzo gave the tune dynamism with his explosive melodic drumming. This was followed up by ‘Contusion’, a Stevie Wonder song found on seminal album Songs In The Key Of Life, which kept the energy levels high.

The trio was joined by Rahman’s brother Idris Rahman on clarinet for two slower numbers that strayed more towards Rahman’s recognisable sound. In the second set Zoe’s solo piano piece, which incorporated several tunes (including a audience request), was complex and full bodied from start to finish but unfortunately did not take the opportunity to include a few more reflective moments. The highlights of the gig came from the augmentation of the set with ‘Friday The 13th’, a tune penned by Zoe’s Berklee College of Music teacher Joanne Brackeen, which swung between dizzying dissonance and an oddball groove.

– Chris Hyde-Harrison

Zoe Rahman continues at Pizza Express Jazz Club tonight. The show has now sold out but contact the venue for last minute returns. www.pizzaexpresslive.co.uk