Soundhouse: Laura Macdonald & Zoe Rahman

"Her sound is drenched with originality and jazz legitimacy ... a world class artist, composer and performer… Zoe shines as one of Britain’s most powerful compositional voices and important contemporary artists" – Ivors Academy

"Whatever the material, Macdonald impresses, particularly on alto saxophone. She rides the fire of the cracking rhythm section with both grace and passion, now holding long, full tones, now flowing sinuously through the changes, employing an intelligently measured sense of dynamics throughout" – Michael Tucker

We are delighted to welcome one of contemporary jazz's most inspired musical pairings. Saxophonist Laura Macdonald and pianist Zoe Rahman have performed in a duo setting over a number of years and come together for this concert to explore new, original compositions. Expect a mix of Celtic and Indian influences together with classic jazz. It will be a totally unique performance. Here's some background ...

Zoe Rahman received the Ivor Novello Award for outstanding achievement in 2022. The awards committee described her thus: "a composer and pianist who’s one of the brightest stars on the contemporary jazz scene. Throughout her career Zoe Rahman has been influenced by her English, Irish and Bengali heritage, written music with swing, lyricism, energy and intimacy. Her sound is drenched with originality and a jazz legitimacy that recognises her pedigree as a world class artist, composer and performer. Winner of the Perrier Young Jazz Musician of the Year in 1999, she has since picked up a MOBO, a Parliamentary Jazz Award and a Mercury Prize nomination. And with her commitment to education and campaigning for greater female representation in instrumental jazz, she inspires a new generation with her experience, generosity and passion. Zoe shines as one of Britain’s most powerful compositional voices and important contemporary artists who puts a spotlight on jazz from the UK as an international musical force."

Laura Macdonald is one of the Scotland's (and the UK's) most prominent women in jazz. In a career spanning three decades she has gone from the Strathclyde Youth Jazz Orchestra to Berklee School of Music in Boston to the Scottish National Jazz Orchestra to a being a highly respected headlining player, recording artist, composer and educator. She won the inaugural Scottish Young Jazz Musician of the Year prize in 1997, a Take Five initiative award from the Jerwood Foundation in 2005, was nominated twice for the Paul Hamlyn Composition Award, and picked up Jazz Instrumentalist of the Year at the Scottish Jazz Awards in 2021. In 2009 Laura was commissioned to write a new sextet suite that was premiered at Islay Jazz Festival. 2010 saw Laura collaborating with composer Tom Bancroft on a large scale piece called Band of Eden. In 2012 Laura was commissioned by the European Jazz Network to celebrate their 25 year anniversary and 2014 saw Laura commissioned as part of the 20 for 14 Commonweatlth Games. She was also selected by the London Jazz Festival to write a duet piece with David Berkman to coincide with the release of her fourth release Duets.

With special guests: Ben Shankland Trio

The Traverse Theatre is funded by Creative Scotland and The City of Edinburgh Council.

If you have access requirements, please contact our Sales and Welcome Team on boxoffice@traverse.co.uk or 0131 228 1404 so we can arrange reserved seating for you and discuss how else we can best support your visit.