Arooj Aftab, Vijay Iyer, and Shahzad Ismaily play the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, June 26

Hosted by Coastal Jazz and Blues Society, the Vancouver Playhouse concert celebrates trio’s debut album

SPONSORED POST BY Coastal Jazz and Blues Society

From left: Shahzad Ismaily, Vijay Iyer, and Arooj Aftab. Photo by Ebru Yildiz

As part of this year’s Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Coastal Jazz & Blues Society is hosting Grammy-winning vocalist Arooj Aftab with Vijay Iyer and Shahzad Ismaily, performing their new debut album Love in Exile at 7:30 pm on June 26 at the Vancouver Playhouse.

At their 2018 debut performance, Aftab, Iyer, and Ismaily’s immediate, potent chemistry surprised even them. Since then, in performance and on 2023’s Love in Exile, they've kept a focus on spontaneous co-creation and complete immersion in the present. The trio weaves bass, piano, and otherworldly vocals into a breathtakingly unified, patiently unfurling sound.

Vocalist-composer-producer Aftab is the first Pakistani artist to win a Grammy Award with the Best Global Music Performance prize for her song “Mohabbat” in 2022. With a genre-bending style that melds jazz fusion, minimalism, indie, and more, she has released three studio albums, including 2021’s widely acclaimed Vulture Prince.

MacArthur Fellowship winner Iyer is one of today’s most influential composer-pianists with an impressive 24-album discography. His musical language is grounded in the rhythmic traditions of South Asia and West Africa.

Multi-instrumentalist Ismaily’s empathic playing has made him a legend among musicians like Marc Ribot, Colin Stetson, and Lou Reed. He is versed in electric and double bass, guitar, banjo, accordion, flute, drums, several percussion instruments, and various analog synthesizers and drum machines.

When combined, the distinct backgrounds and vast personal histories of the trio’s collaboration offers an unforgettable sound filled with timeless beauty and sudden surprise.

The Vancouver International Jazz Festival celebrates its 38th edition from June 23 to July 2 across a variety of venues. The event’s programming brings local, Canadian, and international artists to Vancouver, introducing new music to audiences and hosting past favourites as well.

This year’s festival will offer a balance of free and ticketed performances, kicking off with the free Downtown Jazz concert series outside the Vancouver Art Gallery and šxwƛ̓ ənəq Xwtl’e7énḵ Square; and culminating on Canada Day weekend at Granville Island venues, including Performance Works, Ocean Artworks, and the Revue Stage.

Tickets to the June 26 concert, and more information on the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, can be found here.

Post sponsored by Coastal Jazz & Blues Society.