Rez Abbasi | |
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| Background information | |
| Born | August 27, 1965 Karachi, Pakistan |
| Genres | Jazz, jazz fusion, Indian classical |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, producer |
| Instrument(s) | Guitar |
| Years active | 1990–present |
| Labels | Sunnyside, Enja, Cuneiform |
| Spouse(s) | Kiran Ahluwalia |
| Website | www |
Rez Abbasi (born August 27, 1965) is a Pakistan-born American jazz guitarist, composer, and record producer based in New York City.
Abbasi was born in Karachi, Pakistan. [1] When he was four, his family moved to Los Angeles, and at eleven he started learning guitar. He spent his early teens playing in rock bands. Inspired at a concert featuring vocalist Ella Fitzgerald and guitarist Joe Pass, he began to pursue jazz and classical music.
Abbasi studied guitar at the University of Southern California and at the Manhattan School of Music. [1] After graduating in 1989, he spent a couple months in India studying tabla with Alla Rakha, which kindled an interest in the music of India and Pakistan. [2] [3]
He traveled to India to study under master tabla player Ustad Alla Rakha, to develop an east–west fusion style. [4] However, as he told Guitar Player magazine, "I’ve never studied the sitar or the sarod because to really learn to play either of them I would have had to give up everything else. So, I learned some of the techniques on what you might call a jazz street level. ... [I] have been influenced by rock and roll and jazz and other music since I was a kid."
He has been a member of the Indo-Pak Coalition and Dakshani, two groups led by saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, and has played and arranged for his wife and singer Kiran Ahluwalia. He has also worked with Billy Hart, D. D. Jackson, Dave Liebman, Dave Pietro, Gary Thomas, Gary Versace, Kenny Werner, Marvin Smith, Rick Margitza, Sunny Jain, Tim Hagans, and Tony Malaby. [2]
Ustad Alla Rakha Qureshi, mononymously known as Alla Rakha, was an Indian tabla player who specialised in Hindustani classical music. He was a frequent accompanist of sitar player Pandit Ravi Shankar and was largely responsible for introducing Tabla to the western audience.
Badal Roy was an Indian tabla player, percussionist, and recording artist known for his work in jazz, world music, and experimental music.
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Kiran Ahluwalia is a Canadian singer-songwriter who infuses Indian music with African desert blues and Western styles. Ahluwalia won the 'Newcomer' category in the inaugural Songlines Music Awards (2009) – announced 1 May 2009 – the new 'world music' awards organised by the UK-based magazine, Songlines.
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Things to Come is an album by guitarist Rez Abbasi which was recorded in late 2008 and early 2009 and released on the Sunnyside label.
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