Introduction
Idris Rahman (Bengali: ইদ্রিস রহমান; born 16 July 1976) is an English clarinettist, saxophonist and music producer.
Early life
Rahman was born and brought up in Chichester, West Sussex, England by a Bengali father, Mizan Rahman, and an English-Irish mother. His mother was a doctor who grew up in New Zealand. His maternal grandmother is from Ireland.
Career
Rahman began his music with influences from Bengali folk, film and popular music from the 1950s. His main work is as a saxophonist and producer with Soothsayers, a Reggae/Afrobeat collective, which he co-leads with trumpeter Robin Hopcraft. Soothsayers have released four albums and performed throughout Europe over the past ten years. Rahman is a regular member of the Arun Ghosh sextet and Jonny Phillips' group Oriole and, as a clarinettist. He was involved in his sister Zoe's Where Rivers Meet album and Aidan Love's Forty Thieves Orkestar.
Rahman has performed and recorded as a saxophonist with Osibisa, Ayub Ogada, Dodgy, Reem Kelani, Julia Biel and many more jazz and world music/reggae artists. He has also produced and mixed albums, including two Mercury Prize-nominated albums (Zoe Rahman's second album Melting Pot and Basquiat Strings' debut album, Basquiat Strings with Seb Rochford) and two albums by vocalist Julia Biel, in addition to the Soothsayers albums.
Personal life
Rahman is in a relationship with singer Julia Biel.