Featured Gig | Shez Raja – 606 Jazz Club London

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Shez Raja is a seriously talented electric bassist whose work in a fascinating mix of Indo-jazz, funk and groove settings has propelled him to the forefront of the UK jazz scene. Since the formation of his collective in 2007 his vibrant and extremely fluent playing, combined with his innovation as a bandleader, have already drawn comparisons to the style of electric bass legend Jaco Pastorius.

The 606 gig is the official launch of Shez & the Collective’s newest album, “Gurutopia”, and features guest performances by six-time Grammy nominee & Guitar Player’s “Best Guitarist” of 1993 Mike Stern & superstar trumpeter & four-time Grammy winner Randy Brecker.

With this new release – his latest following along after his prior albums “Soho Live” & “Mystic Radikal” featuring the likes of Soweto Kinch, Shabaka Hutchings, Andy Sheppard & Jay Phelps – Shez continues to cement his reputation as an artist of international prestige, with an increasing sphere of influence in the UK and beyond.

Shez leads a formidable line-up for the 606 concert featuring Polish folk-jazz singer Monika Lidke providing beautifully structured melodic vocals in front of a band that is completed by Vasilis Xenopoulos on saxophone, Pascal Roggen on electric violin, Alex Stanford on keyboard and Chris Nickolls on drums.

Adding even more intensity and spark to this 606 gig will be Shez’s Special Guest, guitarist John Etheridge, who first took the UK jazz scene by storm in the 1970’s as a member of the classic fusion band Soft Machine, and as guitarist in the band of celebrated swing jazz violinist Stéphane Grappelli.

A superb and versatile musician with a vast reservoir of creative energy, John includes work with the likes of Dizzy Gillespie, Tony Williams, Yehudi Menuhin, Pat Metheny and John Williams on his extensive CV (while also leading several of his own groups, notably the “Zappatistas”, his tribute to Frank Zappa).

Shez says: “Expect exciting music that’s full of surprises – a sonic kaleidoscope of euphoric jazz, thundering funk, tuneful ragas and intoxicating grooves!” Hmm, that sounds like something you will not want to miss

Date: 21 April 2016 | Time: 8:30

Venue: 606 Jazz Club
Address: 90 Lots Road, Chelsea, London SW10 0QD
Website: www.606club.co.uk

Last modified: July 15, 2018