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| NYC-based guitarist Rez Abbasi presents his Spark Quartet for four nights at The Rex starting Wednesday (April 29). |
Rez Abbasi's Spark Quartet
The Rex Jazz & Blues Bar
April 29 thru May 2
8 pm to 10:30 pm
Guitarist, composer, author and 2021 Guggenheim Fellow, Rez Abbasi is among a rare breed of artists that continue to push boundaries from within the traditions he has embraced. Consistently placing on DownBeat magazine’s International Critics Poll in Guitar alongside luminaries Bill Frisell and Pat Metheny since 2014, Abbasi continues to forge new ground with his multi-dimensional projects.
“Abbasi is living, breathing proof that jazz music can be as vital and boundary-pushing as ever.” – AllAboutJazz.com
Born in Karachi, Pakistan, migrating to Southern California at the age of four, schooled at the University of Southern California and the Manhattan School of Music in jazz and classical music, along with a pilgrimage in India under the guidance of master percussionist, Ustad Alla Rakha, Abbasi is a vivid synthesis of all the above stated influences and genres.
“Mr. Abbasi succeeded in making some fairly cerebral intricacies feel intuitive and touched by a higher purpose.” – New York Times
With seventeen self-titled albums and multiple composition grants, Abbasi’s wide-ranging projects continue to capture the attention of The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and NPR to name a few. His most recent album Sound Remains reunites his acoustic group, RAAQ. With the addition of a percussionist, the sound explores sonic territories rarely heard in jazz. His prior release Charm is a collaboration with American sitarist, Josh Feinberg while his 2022 trio release Django-shift recasts legendary guitarist Django Reinhardt’s lesser-known compositions into a modern light. In 2019, commissioned by the New York Guitar Festival, he released his live score to the 1929 Indian/German silent film A Throw of Dice and in 2018, his long-standing group featuring band-mates Vijay Iyer and Rudresh Mahanthappa released Unfiltered Universe, the third in a trilogy of albums that set out to explore South Asian musical influences with jazz. Rez also serves as musical director, arranger and guitarist for his life partner, Indian vocalist, composer and multiple Juno Award winner Kiran Ahluwalia. For more info, visit his site: https://www.reztone.com/
Rez Abbasi's Spark Quartet features Rez Abbasi - guitar, Marta Sanchez - piano, Chris Lightcap - bass, Hamir Atwal - drums. Watch a couple of clips of Rez in action along with an interview. Check out some bonus footage shot at The Rex right here.
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