Jazz performer Yazz

Manama : British Council Bahrain in concert with the Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) will present an open Jazz concert, “Alhaan Al Siduri,” by Yazz Ahmed today at 8pm in the Cultural Hall.

Yazz, who is going to perform in the Kingdom for the first time, said that though she has a strong influence of Arabic culture and its diversities, she is in the process of finding newer ways and experiments to integrate other cultures too in her music. 

“I lived in Bahrain for about nine years, before moving to Bedfordshire, so I lacked exposure to the local culture and music. But it has moulded me into what I am now,” she said.

Yazz Ahmed’s concert is touted as a mix of youth and experience, featuring extremely mastered compositions with an interesting line-up, including bass clarinet, vibes, trumpet and electronica along with fine explorative jazz music. 

When asked about her connection to India, she said, “I have never got a chance to perform in India, but I look forward to doing so. I had associated with Arun Ghosh, who is an Indian Jazz Sextet player. We had a powerful mix of rock riffs, jazz improvisation and Indian music. The instrumental line-up was based on clarinet, saxophone, guitar, drums and tabla and had pulled in young crowds.” 

Yazz has performed at different venues around the world and joined hands with international artists from various genres. Her musical talents and dual inheritance make her a unique cultural ambassador. She has also represented Bahrain and the UK in a number of high-profile cultural exchange openings.

“Since I was raised in the UK, I missed the Arabic language a lot. My family used to speak to me in English, so there was no formal training of the language at home. Currently, I have an Arabic teacher, and I gradually learned to speak the language,” Yazz commented, recollecting her connection with Arabic culture and language.

The open Jazz concert at the Cultural Hall is inspired from the Bahraini Culture. It is a suite inspired by the work songs of the Bahraini pearl divers and the traditional wedding songs of the women groups of the Kingdom, fused with jazz elements and electronics and is called Alhaan Al Siduri.

“Siduri is a character mentioned in the Epic of Gilgamesh. She is a goddess of the Gulf that lives on an island at the edge of the sea. Her land is a garden in which the sun walks in the morning. I decided to imagine that the island mentioned in the epic poem might be Bahrain, the island of two seas. The lyrics are a combination of fragments of traditional Bahraini songs”, explained Yazz.

Today’s concert is part of the 25th Bahrain International Music Festival and the celebrations of the 200th anniversary of relations between Bahrain and the UK.