Daniel Garbin: Rising

Art serves as a mirror to the world, and music is certainly no exception. Good musicians not only share their talent with listeners but also share their influences and experiences as well. With his debut album Rising, guitarist Daniel Garbin emerges as a compelling new voice in contemporary jazz, one shaped not just by musical influences but by mathematics, world travel and the rhythm of daily life. This album is a testament to Garbin's decades-long journey through genres, instruments and disciplines. His synthesis of jazz, Indian classical music, Latin grooves and even Eastern European folk traditions is more than global fusion. Garbin shares his world with melodic invention and rhythmic complexity.

Born in Romania and largely self-taught, Garbin's musical path traversed blues, flamenco, jazz-rock and folkloric traditions before eventually coming to New York City. Along with music, his background as a mathematics professor at CUNY adds to his musical expression, not in a cerebral way, but rather through an underlying sense of structure and flow. This is evidenced on tracks like "Rolling Hills," which transitions organically from a Latin groove to an African-inspired rhythm before settling into a straight-ahead swing, creating a rhythmic continuum that drives the solos with momentum and pleasant surprises.

The title track, "Rising," sets the tone for the album's exploratory spirit. Garbin plays sitar instead of guitar here, and what could have been a novelty becomes instead a revelation. Having adapted the instrument's frets and tuning system to accommodate chromatic playing, Garbin seamlessly integrates the sitar into a jazz quintet setting. The modal melody glides over a rumba-inflected rhythm, shifting meters seamlessly. His impressive sitar work, along with Scott Litroff 's impassioned alto saxophone, Camila Cortina Bello's harmonically rich piano solo and Eddy Khaimovich's rich fretless bass, is anchored by drummer Brian Woodruff's tasty sense of groove.

The album takes the listener on a memorable journey through Garbin's experiences and influences. "Almost Forgotten—Like Satch" is a tribute to Joe Satriani that blends Garbin's soulful tone with subtle nods to '70s jazz-rock. "DSD," co-written with Simona Pop, shifts between smooth jazz textures and an Andalusian-inflected melodic turn, while Khaimovich adds slap-bass flourishes, giving a slight nod to funk. Pop, also co-producer of the album, collaborates on the elegant "Simi's Bossa," a track that delivers exactly what it promises: a modern bossa nova rendered with grace and clarity. The Latin vibe also comes through on "Anomisericordo," a rhythmically playful Cuban cha-cha with hints of tango infused throughout.

Garbin delivers a solid debut that showcases his talent as a seasoned artist who has found his voice through years of listening, practice and life experience. He blends traditions in a way that allows them to fit together like pieces of a musical puzzle. Rising invites repeated listening, not only for its rhythmic and harmonic diversity, but for its sincere and searching heart.