[Ahmed] أحمد

The quartet أحمد [Ahmed] reinterprets the music of jazz pioneer Ahmed Abdul-Malik: a rousing mix of American, Arabic and East African influences.

The name says it all: the supergroup is dedicated to the music of New York bassist and oud player Ahmed Abdul-Malik - an early crossover artist between jazz and Arab and East African influences.

The quartet turns his ideas into, in [Ahmed's] words, "music of heavy rhythm". And indeed: [Ahmed's] pieces thrive on driving repetition, hammering grooves and collective improvisation. The historical material serves less as a template than as a starting point: motifs are broken down, reassembled and rethought in the moment. The result is music that is both archaeological and highly topical.

The Wire magazine praised [Ahmed] as "one of the most progressive jazz bands in the world". And we can testify from our own experience: this is true free jazz - physical, demanding and surprisingly easy to dance to.