This summer she was at Couleur Café and at Dranouter. But those who were already present at the sold-out ABClub in early 2010 will be sure to return on Wednesday 3 November, to intensely enjoy th...

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This summer she was at Couleur Café and at Dranouter. But those who were already present at the sold-out ABClub in early 2010 will be sure to return on Wednesday 3 November, to intensely enjoy the experience once again in an ABFlex. You don't have to take our word for it, it was also reported as follows in De Standaard:

'Parisian Hindi Zahra issued an impressive visiting card in a full ABClub. This is a newcomer with personality and passion.
Hindi Zahra recently released her debut album Handmade on jazz-label Blue Note. That was to be heard on it: since that Norah Jones came to power, they've been putting young women with fine voices a little too enthusiastically into that stylish chanson format.
Zahra is up to it, of course. She has a fantastic alto voice and an intriguing presence. She descends from Berbers and Touaregs. Also has a little provocative French flair about her. But, above all, she employs a body-language that sometimes reminds us of eastern performers, who like to draw their songs in the air with their hands.
Initially she kept it low-key. In 'Try' she called upon Billie Holiday and in 'Nanyi' her vocal usage clearly referred to Egyptian diva Oum Khalsoum. But even then we could see how she stood with a half-gaping mouth to listen to a guitar solo, while her lower body shook along to the music.
Just briefly we received a few friendly swing-songs and 'Beautiful tango', that evolved from a doll-house song into a more bluesy bar-song. Everyone was convinced: she was beautiful, she could sing. But did she also have personality?
The answer is yes. 'Kiss & thrills', the most intriguing song on the album, took the concert to a dark place where electric guitars challenged Zahra to completely let herself go, physically. The gentle reggae of 'Oursoul' was rectified by a wild rock-finale, and the sensational 'Set me free' contributed impelling chant and trance to the set.
But all eyes were fixed on Zahra, who writhed into wilder and wilder turns. Her arms richly laden with armbands. Her black hair shaking back and forth, like she'd taken lessons from Patti Smith. Her body that seemed to embrace the pentatonic sounds of the guitarist, as if they were remembrances of the music with which she was raised.
Zahra was placed in the marketplace as a tasteful salon-singer but on she was both a beauty and a beast. On minute she let the audience sing along sweetly to Bob Marley's 'Waiting in vain', the next moment she seemed to loose control of herself in the bluesy fury of 'Music'.
Her future looks bright. She can appear on both jazz stages as well as at Rock Werchter, and is sure to shine. But we are especially curious to see if Hindi Zahra will take off her safety harness on the following album and really allow her passion to flow.'

Stand Up

Extra support-act: Root, recently impressive with Jeff Beck and already returning now at the request of Hindi Zahra herself (as Dominique also played along on her debut CD!).
Root is indeed that trio based around keyboard player Dominique Vantomme (Toots Thielemans, Louisiana Red, Therese Malenfant, An Pierlé, Laïs…). Backed by tandem rhythm section Mirko Banovic (bassist for Arno and Arsenal) and Geert Roelofs, Vantomme returns to the jazz-rock and the fusion of the seventies.
Also provided their services on the album (out on Rough Trade): DJ Grazzhoppa, Uman, Eva & Kapinga Gysel (Zita Swoon), Leonie Gysel (Arsenal), and Laurent Maur (FR).
“A fine addition for both the rock environment and the jazz scene” according to Rif Raf.