Yazz Ahmed Finding My Way Home
2011’s "Finding My Way Home” is the debut album by British-Bahraini trumpet player Yazz Ahmed. The album blends original compositions and improvisations, reflecting Yazz's Arabic heritage and classic jazz influences from the 1950s and 60s. Inspired by her grandfather, jazz trumpeter, Terry Brown, Yazz developed a passion for the trumpet, leading to this unique musical exploration. The album features collaborations with many notable musicians, including bass guitar virtuoso Janek Gwizdala. Yazz and Janek reconnected through Facebook after a decade apart, resulting in a recording session of duets, incorporating Arabic scales in pieces like "Embarkation" and “Al Muharraq”. Recorded in London, the intimate tracks highlight the synergy between flugelhorn and bass guitar. Yazz's original compositions, "Conciliation" and "Flip Flop", are performed by her first quintet, featuring a classic jazz line-up. However, with the addition of percussionist, Corrina Silvester, now an ever-present collaborator, and bass clarinettist, Shabaka Hutchings, on "Wah-Wah Sowahwah", we get a glimpse of what’s to come as Yazz’s music evolves. The album culminates with the expansive title track, weaving together various elements key to Yazz’s style, and capturing the essence of the album's musical journey. * First ever vinyl edition of the acclaimed British Jazz artist’s debut album * In January 2020 Downbeat Magazine named Yazz as one of 25 artists set to shape the future of jazz over the next decade. * Recipient of the highly prestigious Ivor Novello Award for Innovation * Jazz FM ‘Jazz Act of the Year’ 2020 * Jazz FM ‘Jazz Album of the Year’ 2020, for her 2019 album, ‘Polyhymnia’. * Has won accolades from The Wire (Jazz Album Of The Year), Bandcamp (Best albums of 2017, Best Jazz Album), The Vinyl Factory, Stereogum, The Guardian, All About Jazz, and many more publications * Yazz Ahmed receives regular airplay on Soho Radio, Deutschlandfunk, Openlab, BBC Radio 2, BBC Radio 3, FBI Radio, FIP, Radio Raheem, KCRW, Rai Radio 3, Radio 1 (BE), NTS, Worldwide FM, and many more * ‘The Birth Of The Fool’ amongst Yazz Ahmed’s most streamed tracks * ‘Conciliation’ features on the soundtrack of Steve Buscemi’s 2022 film, ‘The Listener’ * Album reviews by: Jazzwise ⭐⭐⭐⭐, London Jazz News Quotes: “very assured, sensuously lyrical debt” - Selwyn Harris, Jazzwise “a considerable and – most important – highly individual instrumental and compositional talent” – Chris Parker, London Jazz News
- 1. Embarkation
- 2. Wah-Wah Sowahwah
- 3. Al Muharraq
- 4. Conciliation
- 5. The Birth of the Fool
- 6. Affirmation
- 7. Birthdays, Birthdays
- 8. Finding My Way Home