Yusuf Ahmed
London raised by an Italian mother and Pakistani father, drummer Yusuf Ahmed’s background is the blueprint for the music with which he identifies. He is involved with expressive and sensitive music not limited to any particular style but rather approaching sound and creativity with an open minded and all encompassing approach.
Since 2016, Yusuf has been immersed in the live music scene and continues to contribute to numerous projects, performing all over the country as well as internationally. He has travelled extensively as a side man and played on some of the most notable festivals and venues in the country. e.g The Jazz Cafe, Love Supreme Festival, Electric Brixton, Ronnie Scotts, Pizza Express, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Nottingham Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival, as well as international performances in Turkey, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, USA, France, Italy....
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Yusuf Ahmed
London raised by an Italian mother and Pakistani father, drummer Yusuf Ahmed’s background is the blueprint for the music with which he identifies. He is involved with expressive and sensitive music not limited to any particular style but rather approaching sound and creativity with an open minded and all encompassing approach.
Since 2016, Yusuf has been immersed in the live music scene and continues to contribute to numerous projects, performing all over the country as well as internationally. He has travelled extensively as a side man and played on some of the most notable festivals and venues in the country. e.g The Jazz Cafe, Love Supreme Festival, Electric Brixton, Ronnie Scotts, Pizza Express, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Nottingham Jazz Festival, London Jazz Festival, as well as international performances in Turkey, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, USA, France, Italy.
In the last year, he has been releasing his own music. Developing his own sound in writing and production culminated in the release of three singles over the last year which all feature artists and friends from around the world. These releases have found support from BBC radio as well as many grass roots radio stations such as NTS and Soho Radio.
Yusuf continues to be active in many collective projects but is now also focusing on his own band Etc Etc which will be recording their debut album in April 2021.
Jihad Darwish
Jihad Darwish is a musician, and producer from London working in all genres. Although focusing mainly on his own music he continues to play with and produce other artists. Having studied music at Dartington College Of Arts he completed a Masters in Jazz at the Guildhall School Of Music And Drama in London.
Touring, performing and recording worldwide he has worked with artists including Sting, Van Morrison, Imelda May, Mica Paris, Eric Bibb, Newton Faulkner, Kristina Train, Nikhil De Sousa, Anderson Paak, Ed Motta, Elliot Sumner, Beth Rowley, Gilles Peterson, Zara McFarlane, Moses Boyd, Binka Golding, Yazz Ahmed, Nu Civilization Orchestra, Pete Josef, Pete Edwards, Sarah Tandy, Camilla George, and Salena Jones.
Currently releasing under his middle names ‘Imroel-Quays’, his debut album ‘Reclamation’ released under ‘Darwish’ in 2018 was well received with a 4 star review and album of the week in the Evening Standard as well as a 4 star review from Jazz wise. His music has featured regularly on BBC Radio including the Tom Robinson Show. He was selected as featured artist by Jamie Cullum for his BBC Radio 2 show and headlined a BBC Introducing showcase hosted by Jo Whiley and curated by Cullum live on Radio 2 at the Cheltenham Jazz Festival.
Having studied the Sitar and Indian Classical music for some time his current project is a series of songs written around traditional Indian ragas due for release late 2021.
Tamar Osborn
Saxophonist, composer and multi-wind instrumentalist Tamar Osborn, is perhaps best known as the creative force behind modal jazz ensemble Collocutor (On The Corner Records).
Having so far released three critically acclaimed LPs and an EP with her group, she is also a long- standing member of the Dele Sosimi Afrobeat Orchestra, and collaborates regularly with Sarathy Korwar, Jessica Lauren, Emanative and DJ Khalab amongst others.
Tamar studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has been a professional freelancer for 20+ years. A background in both classical music and jazz, and an interest in learning about other musical traditions and cultures, have enabled her to work in many different genres and contexts around the world: touring internationally with contemporary/Indian classical dancer Akram Khan’s ‘Xenos’; improvising alongside DJs; working with artists as diverse as Kelis, Van Morrison, Rhye, Tanmoy Bose, and the Africa Express project with Tony Allen, Fatoumata Diawara and Batida amongst others. She also performed in the acclaimed London productions of the Fela! musical at the National Theatre and Sadler’s Wells.
Composing for Collocutor in particular has allowed her to bring together these many varied experiences, and explore commonalities and meeting points between different traditions and genres.
Tamar also hosts a monthly show on Soho Radio in her guise as ‘Tamar Collocutor’, exploring her musical interests and influences, and interviewing musicians and others involved in the industry.
Idris Rahman
Idris has explored many areas of jazz, groove and world music as saxophonist, clarinettist, singer, bass player, composer, producer and mix engineer. He has co-written/co-produced nine albums to date with his afrobeat/reggae/jazz collective Soothsayers, and the tenth album by experimental groove based improv band Ill Considered is set for later this year. He has performed and recorded with a wide range of artists including Anoushka Shankar, Osibisa, Ayub Ogada, Mad Professor, Arun Ghosh, Zoe Rahman, Julia Biel
As well as performing regularly, Idris has a studio in South London where he has produced and mixed many albums, racking up an impressive catalogue including two mercury-nominated albums that he mixed - Melting Pot by Zoe Rahman and Basquiat Strings' debut album - and MOBO- nominated album 'Love Letters and Other Missiles' by Julia Biel which he produced. He also has a growing catalogue of music written for film and T.V.
Idris studied music at Oxford University and has been a teacher and workshop leader for nearly twenty years, working in schools, colleges and universities, teaching instrumental lessons, composition and song writing. He is a co-founder of Brixton-based youth group Youthsayers.
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