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Arnie Somogyi Invites: Rachel Cohen (sax)

Arnie Somogyi Invites: Rachel Cohen (sax)

Guest Artists

Date and time
30 Jan 2025 6.30pm - 9pm
Location

Eastside Jazz Club, Royal Birmingham Conservatoire

200 Jennens Road, B4 7XR

Price

£15
£12 under 16s, over 60s

6.30pm support
7.45pm headline

Booking Information

Wheelchair users are entitled to concessionary priced tickets with a complimentary companion seat.

Assistance dogs are welcome at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire venues. If you wish to bring an assistance dog or wheelchair, please let the Events Office know by calling 0121 331 5909.

Saxophonist Rachel Cohen

Arnie Somogyi Invites: Rachel Cohen (sax)

Rachael Cohen saxophone

Rachael Cohen, a London-based alto saxophonist and composer from the Shetland Islands, is a rising star of British jazz. Known for her subtle yet inventive improvisation, her style has drawn comparisons to Lee Konitz, with The Guardian praising her “softly devious approach” and “hipness” in interacting with rhythm sections.

Cohen began playing piano at age four and saxophone at nine, developing an early love for improvisation. After moving to Edinburgh at 12, she attended the City of Edinburgh Music School, studying under renowned musicians such as Martin Kershaw and Lynda Cochrane. As lead alto in the National Youth Jazz Orchestra of Scotland and Tommy Smith’s Youth Jazz Orchestra, she gained invaluable experience performing across the UK.

In 2006, Cohen earned a scholarship to study Jazz at Birmingham Conservatoire, where her tutors included Julian Siegel and Jean Toussaint. She also studied with legendary artists Dave Holland and Lee Konitz during their visits. Her 2013 debut album, Halftime (Whirlwind Recordings), was widely acclaimed, earning four-star reviews and a place in MOJO’s top ten jazz albums of 2014.

Now a regular at iconic London venues such as Ronnie Scott’s and the Vortex, Cohen continues to captivate audiences with her original projects and residencies across the capital.

" an alluring, rarefied chamber jazz atmosphere where Cohen dances over her own unpredictable chord structures with articulacy and wit, elegantly blending Desmond’s cool, Konitz’s quirk and Coleman’s lyrical astringency." MOJO Magazine

John Turville piano
Arnie Somogyi bass
Andrew Duncan drums

"'Arnie Somogyi – bassist, composer, bandleader, educator ‘surely one of the UK’s finest talents’"
London Jazz News

Arnie Somogyi is one of the UK's most in-demand bass players and has played on over 60 albums, including five with his own projects as a leader. He has recorded, performed and toured with many of the world’s leading jazz musicians including Bobby Hutcherson, Eddie Henderson, Steve Grossman, Scott Hamilton, Mal Waldron, Seamus Blake, Sonny Fortune, Arturo Sandoval, Jorge Rossy, Joe Chambers, Rene Marie, James Moody, Joey Calderazzo, Art Farmer, Chris Botti and The Mingus Big Band as well as international stars Tom Jones, Charlie Watts, Amy Winehouse, Richard Ashcroft and Omar.

He has appeared frequently at world-renowned jazz club Ronnie Scott’s, both as a sideman, leader and member of The Ronnie Scott's All-Stars.

His music has featured on radio, television and in the feature films The Talented Mr Ripley and An Education, and he has performed around the world in a wide variety of formats.

Since 1999 Arnie has been bass tutor at Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, where his responsibilities have included one-to-one instrumental tuition, ensemble coaching – from small group to big band - delivering the jazz history module and assessing and moderating major projects.

Guest musicians tbc.

Running time approx. two hours and 30 minutes

Forthcoming events in Guest Artists

Forthcoming dates include: