"Odd time signatures undergird Kabir's music, on Wednesday propelled by drummer Jaycie Grady along with the driving bassist Leela Paymai, whose compositions from a Persian-jazz project, ZHENIIA, were also featured onstage to great effect. Kabir, who sat at the piano herself for an improvised solo number, shouted out her parents, educators, and collaborators, which included Nathan Sariowan on violin and Wesley Larlarb on guest piano. Ethan Buck, on alto saxophone, shined while doubling Kabir's solos with his own simultaneous soaring lines,"
"At one point, Aymai spoke of the historic protests in Iran, and Kabir introduced "The ReZident," a song inspired by her time studying in Cape Town, by noting that jazz has always been protest music. During an arrangement of Tears for Fears' "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," pianist Julian Lopez picked up the mic to rap about media manipulation, U.S. imperialism and the bombardment of Gaza."
Rabiah Kabir led a sextet at the Black Cat jazz club in San Francisco on Jan. 21, 2026, presenting music built on odd time signatures and strong rhythmic drive. Drummer Jaycie Grady and bassist Leela Paymai supplied propulsion while Paymai's Persian-jazz compositions from ZHENIIA also appeared. Kabir performed an improvised piano solo and featured collaborators Nathan Sariowan (violin), Wesley Larlarb (guest piano) and Ethan Buck (alto sax), whose simultaneous lines intensified climaxes. Selections ranged from introspective originals like "Red Shapes and Green Shapes" to protest-tinged pieces such as "The ReZident," and an arranged cover of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World."
Read at Kqed
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]