Meet Daahoud Salim
Talented pianist brings his award-winning quintet to Murcia
WITH Abdu Salim, the jazz saxophone player and composer from Texas as his father, it is no surprise that Daahoud Salim has become an acclaimed performer and composer in his own right.
What is interesting though is the expanse of his musicality; today we are looking at him in his capacity as a jazz pianist, but it needs to be remembered that first and foremost Daahoud is an award-winning classical musician who has performed on some of Europe’s most revered stages.
He was born in Sevilla in 1990. When he was four years old he started playing the piano while getting lessons from his father.
He went on to study classical piano in Sevilla with Juan Olaya and in Badajoz with Ángel Sanzo, where he graduated with honours.
He continued his classical music studies on a master’s program in Denmark with Anne Øland and in Amsterdam with David Kuyken, where he graduated in 2015.
In order to highlight the extent of his passion for all music, whilst finishing his classical studies, Daahoud also completed a bachelor’s in jazz piano at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
In recent years Salim has performed on some of the most prestigious jazz and classical stages and festivals in Europe, including Concergebouw, Bimhuis, Palau de la Música de Cataluña, Auditorio Nacional de Madrid and Jamboree Jazz in Barcelona.
He has performed as a piano soloist with the Orquesta de Almería (conducted by Michael Thomas), Orquesta de Extremadura (conducted by Álvaro Albiach) and toured Holland, also with an orchestra, playing Schulhoff’s Concerto No2 with the conductor Andrew Grams.
In addition to this he has recorded an album entitled Forbidden Music, featuring the compositions of Erwin Schulhoff.
Okay, what we have just read is essentially a précis of Daahoud Salim’s classical career; now let’s take a look at what happens when this talented pianist puts his jazz hat on.
He plays regularly throughout Spain to enthusiastic audiences, whether with his quintet, alongside his father, Abdu or with other musicians, such as Cuban bassist Yelsy Heredia.
The quintet was founded in Amsterdam in 2015, whilst Salim was still studying, and features South Korean drummer Sun-Mi Hong, Murcian trombonist Pablo José Martínez Hernández, Cadízborn trumpeter Bruno Calvi and German bass player Hendrik Müller.
As a group, the quintet has graced some of the most important stages and festivals in Europe, including Amsterdam’s Bimhuis jazz venue, Festival Mas I Mas de Jamboree, Festival Internacional de Jazz de Ibiza, Rabobank Amersfoort Jazz, Getxo Jazz Festival, Silesian Jazz Festival and the International Jazz Festival in Madrid, amongst others.
At the 40th Getxo Jazz Festival, the Daahoud Salim Quintet was awarded the prizes for the best band and best soloist (Daahoud Salim). The performance was also released as a live album – I have not yet had the opportunity to listen to this album, but if 2018’s bold and bouncy Jamboree Live is anything to go by, it should be a thing of wonder.
In 2017 the quintet also won the B-Jazz International Contest, the Grand Prix Albert Michiels Prize for the best band, and the Sabam for Culture Prize.
Their repertoire features compositions by Salims junior and senior, and contains a delightfully playful selection of bebop, blues and smatterings of avant-garde jazz that should light up any stage.
When the quintet is in a boisterous, swinging mood it feels as if a force of nature is making a concerted effort to embed itself in your ears - brassy, footstomping and extremely infectious. During moments of melancholia, Daahoud Salim guides the listener along some wonderful, blues-stained paths and alleyways that allude to his classical training and overall versatility, not only as a performer but also as a composer.
Unfortunately, Spotify only hosts two of the quintet’s four releases: the previously mentioned Jamboree Live and 2016’s La Llamada. Both of these make for a great listening experience and an impeccable introduction to Daahoud Salim’s (jazz) music.
Should you like what you hear then get along to Jazzazza Jazz Club in Algezares, on the outskirts of Murcia, tonight (Friday, November 8), when the quintet will be in full swing.
Further information and ticket reservation are available from www.jazzazza.com