Voted one of the ‘Hottest Bass Players in the World’ by readers of Bass Player magazine, virtuoso British-Asian bass player Shez Raja is renowned for his high energy live shows, unique Indo-jazz-funk sound and global star collaborations with Mike Stern, Randy Brecker, Dennis Chambers, Guthrie Govan, Trilok Gurtu and Wayne Krantz.
Following spectacular performances at top UK venues including Ronnie Scott’s and the Jazz Cafe as well as major international jazz festivals from Europe to New Zealand, Shez and his band have amassed a devoted following and forged a reputation as one of the most entertaining live acts on the scene today.
2025 sees the release of Raja’s eighth album, Spellbound: a breathtaking exploration of deep grooves, dazzling improvisation and hypnotic soundscapes. The album combines Raja’s trademark style with masterful performances from an extraordinary ensemble of musical greats.
Featuring a dream team of world-class musicians, Spellbound showcases drum icon Dennis Chambers, guitar virtuosos Guthrie Govan and John Etheridge, sitar maestro Roopa Panesar, sax sensations Tony Kofi and Vasilis Xenopoulos, UK drum stars Jamie Murray and Sophie Alloway, ethereal singing prodigy Fiza Haider, tabla guru Gurdain Rayatt, bansuri flute master Ahsan Papu, seventh-generation sarangi player Zohaib Hasan and keyboard ace Chris Jerome.
Together they create a magical blend of East and West, tradition and innovation, groove and mysticism – music that pulses throughout with energy and emotion.
Adding to the album’s prestige, Spellbound has been specially mastered by Gearbox Records, giving it the coveted stamp of "A Gearbox Cut" and audiophile-grade sound quality on both Vinyl and CD format. Raja has also signed a publishing deal with Gearbox Music Publishing, marking an exciting new chapter in his artistic journey.
For his previous album Tales from the Punjab, released in 2021 on Ubuntu Music, Shez dug deep into his rich South Asian heritage to create a truly exquisite and heartfelt recording. Early the previous year Raja travelled to the Punjab to explore his identity and immerse himself in the musical culture of his roots. Whilst in the vibrant city of Lahore he had a magical and enlightening experience collaborating with some of the most accomplished musicians of the subcontinent.
2019 saw the release of Shez's concept album Journey to Shambhala, inspired by Raja’s self-composed tale of a young man who embarks on an adventure to discover the mystical city of Shambhala. He has a wild experience of excitement, danger, friendships, love and deceit - told through a musical voyage of soundscapes from exhilarating jazz-funk to enchanting ballads. The search for happiness is something we can all relate to and this album holds the message that, as in life, the journey often holds as much wonder as the destination.
The album recording sees award-winning Indian percussion guru Trilok Gurtu and US guitar genius Wayne Krantz joining Shez on his journey. The 'Epiphany' single is accompanied by an innovative animated music video and the ‘Dharma dance’ single is available on a special ‘direct to vinyl’ 7” recording, on Gearbox Records.
The last few years have been a turning point for Raja - from the release of the critically-acclaimed album Gurutopia (on US label Dot Time Records) featuring global jazz legends Mike Stern and Randy Brecker, an ‘Inside The Mind’ feature on BBC Radio 3's Jazz Line-Up, to performing sell out shows at the EFG London Jazz Festival and to a 800 capacity crowd at Islington Assembly Hall in London.
Shez regularly collaborates with stars of the British and international jazz world. Stellar line-ups on his albums and live shows also include Dennis Rollins, Denys Baptiste, Oren Marshall and Arun Ghosh.
Previous releases include the vibrant live album - Soho Live - featuring Soweto Kinch, Shabaka Hutchings and Jay Phelps and studio album Mystic Radikal featuring Andy Sheppard, Monika Lidke and Claude Deppa, with both records released on 33 Jazz Records.
The varied line-ups create fascinating musical interactions, keeping the music both exciting and fresh so that each live show is different.
Biog
Shez Raja was born to an Asian father and English mother, on the Wirral, in the North-West of England. Classically trained on the violin from the age of 9, a few years later he traded the instrument for electric bass and hasn’t looked back.
Educated at Leeds College of Music, Raja toured the UK with various groups before becoming a highly sought-after session musician.
He then went on to perform at Glastonbury Festival, the prestigious Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, Shepherd's Bush Empire, Islington Assembly Hall and the London Forum, as well as touring Europe with platinum-selling hip-hop artist MC Lyte. Shez has appeared on BBC 1, MTV, national TV in Germany, Switzerland and New Zealand and has featured on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 3 and Jazz FM.
In his formative years, Shez went on trips to the Punjab region of the Indian sub-continent with his father and immersed himself in the musical culture of his South Asian roots, learning tabla drumming. He now merges his rich musical heritage with his hugely diverse playing experience to create dynamic and passionate music that blends East with West.
Shez’s mission as an artist is to be authentic with his emotions, develop his own unique voice and to explore the language of music to become fully self-expressed. He concludes, “I believe the ultimate goal for a musician is to make music that is raw, real and from the heart, that moves and inspires people”.