Rez Abbasi: Snake Charmer

Abbasi's compositions flow gently. As they do, they envelop rich textures, the final product striking in its detail. And his sense of invention and technique on the guitar pushes the music into startlingly delightful tonalities.

Abbasi's thick notes roll off on "Snake Charmer, the whorl capturing the Indian notation before he dips into jazz structure and opens the plain with a spin of exhilarating notes. That's just the covenant for the organ of Gary Versace, who shades the tune with boisterous runs, and Danny Weiss, who lays down some punchy drumming.

A whole new sound seeps into "Pearl," the music more Indian; Weiss plays tabla, Abbasi plays the sitar-guitar and percussion, and the accomplished Kiran Ahluwalia sings in classical Indian style. Abbasi's instrument and the tuning give the tune a distinct blend of colors—gorgeous but never overwhelming. Dave Liebman adds the final daub, curving into the melody and adding adjuncts that go to swell the appeal. Liebman's ability to get into the crux of a melody and fill it with warmth is seen in "Rumi, where Abbasi dips into the nuances and finds his muse, making this another winner.