Snake Chamer

Combining his training in jazz with his Indian/Pakistani background, Rez Abbasi expressively blends these two complex musical genres on Snake Charmer, his hallmark fourth album release. With his superb guitar playing in the forefront, Abbasi also employs the hybrid sitar-guitar, along with voice and tabla - all in the context of an organ trio setting - to create a recording that achieves a perfect cross-cultural esthetic between jazz and Indian music. The results are both gratifying and groundbreaking. Born in South Asia and removed at the age of four in the driving surf sounds of Southern California, Abbasi was schooled at the University of Southern California and the prestigious Manhattan School of Music. He has also gone on a pilgrimage to India under the tutorial of master percussionist, Ustad Alla Rakha and his critically acclaimed playing and compositions are a vivid synthesis of all these influences and genres.