"Jazz gave me an identity” – Imran Ahmed

Photo: Courtesy

Imran Ahmed is perhaps the most recognisable face in the very niche jazz scene in the country, doing regular shows both home and abroad with his band: Imran Ahmed Trio. The passionate musician opens up about his current projects, the state of jazz music in the country, and more. 

Your recently held concert in Jazz day was a huge success. Did you expect such an overwhelming response?

To be honest, I have noticed that people have picked up interest in the genre from February onwards. Earlier this year, we did a ticketed show at North Club Gulshan. The organisers weren’t keen on the idea, as it was a relatively remote location, but we ended up selling 390 tickets. And of course, after the success of the recent jazz day, it is safe to say that there is a growing market for this genre. We couldn’t even accommodate all the people that came in to see the show!

Tell us about your current projects.

We are planning a tour to a country in Europe, for which we will launch a crowdfunding campaign. We will sell videos of our studio performances in order to fill the crowdfunding goals. The tour will take place later this year, and we will announce the name of the country very soon. We are very excited about it.

You’re a jazz guitarist, but are adept at many genres. Do you plan to be involved in a project outside of jazz?

Even though I’ve played a wide range of genres, jazz gave me an identity as a musician. However, I am not restricted to one genre, I’d play anything that sounds good. I’ve played in bands like Lalon, Blunderware and Eclectic. I even had a Megadeth cover band named Septentrions. For me, it’s more about sounding unique, regardless of genre.

Name some of the other jazz bands in the scene that you like.

I love the Robert Russell Trio, and the Seesaw Quartet. We have played shows together, and they are great. However, I want to see some newer band step up in this genre.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to play guitar?

I would suggest any youngster to explore as much as they can, and to avoid restricting themselves to one genre.