"What a brilliant club" - Forbes 2025
THE VERDICT
APPJAG Jazz Venue of the Year 2024
The Verdict is a multi award winning grass roots music venue, the only full time Jazz venue outside of London in the south of England, it has been named as one of the best jazz clubs in the World by Star Insider. Weekly hosting the best in jazz music with Top International acts, playing blues, swing, funk, Latin Jazz and fusion.
Zoe Rahman “Hull Suite Live”
Zoe Rahman – Piano
Gene Calderazzo – Drums
Alec Dankworth – Double bass
Zoe Rahman presents music from her new album “Hull Suite Live” with her world-class jazz trio, featuring drummer Gene Calderazzo (Pharoah Sanders, Randy Brecker) and bassist Alec Dankworth (Abdullah Ibrahim, Dave Brubeck). The album centres around music from Zoe’s “Hull Suite”, which was commissioned by Hull Jazz Festival for World Piano Day 2024. Based on themes of voyage, migration and the sea and taking inspiration from two statues in Hull, the music is also deeply connected to Zoe’s own family history.
A highly individual pianist and composer, Zoe Rahman’s style is deeply rooted in jazz yet it reflects her classical background, British/Bengali heritage and her very broad musical taste. A MOBO Award winner, Mercury Prize nominee and Ivor Novello Award winner, she has become a highly sought-after musician on the international jazz scene.
Zoe’s compositions encompass a wide pallet, with earthy blues influences, soulful melodies and cinematic musical textures that highlight the vibrancy and interaction of this electrifying jazz trio.
Aleh Ferreira
Aleh’s music is deeply rooted in the rich traditions of Afro-Brazilian culture. The son of a priestess of Umbanda, his musical inspiration comes from the powerful rhythms, melodies and spiritual traditions of the terreiro — the cultural spaces that played a fundamental role in the development of samba and continue to influence Brazilian music today.
A remarkable vocalist, composer and performer, Aleh is perhaps best known internationally as the frontman of the legendary Brazilian funk and samba-soul group Banda Black Rio. With his warm, distinctive voice and effortlessly rhythmic delivery, he brings together the infectious grooves of samba, Brazilian funk, soul and MPB, creating music that is both deeply rooted in tradition and unmistakably contemporary.
His songs are infused with a strong sense of identity and pride, celebrating Afro-Brazilian heritage while exploring themes of culture, spirituality, history and everyday life. The result is music that is as powerful and meaningful as it is irresistibly danceable.
Over a career spanning more than three decades, Aleh has established himself as an important figure in Brazilian popular music, both as a performer and composer. His work has taken him to stages around the world and seen him collaborate and perform alongside some of Brazil’s most celebrated artists, including Ed Motta, Seu Jorge and Daniela Mercury.
His achievements have been recognised with numerous awards and accolades, reflecting his contribution to Brazilian music and his continuing role as an ambassador for Afro-Brazilian culture.
Now bringing his unique sound and energy to the stage, Aleh offers an electrifying journey through samba, funk, soul and MPB — connecting the ancestral rhythms of Brazil with the contemporary sounds of the diaspora.
Expect deep grooves, extraordinary musicianship and a powerful celebration of Afro-Brazilian music and culture.
