Rudresh Mahanthappa's Indo-Pak Coalition - Agrima

The Guardian 80

(Mahanthappa’s Music)

Jazz musicians have been integrating Indian ragas into their improvisations for more than half a century, but few do so as comfortably as New York-based alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa. Instead of taking his cue from John Coltrane’s mystical fusions, Mahanthappa plays with the puckish, cheeky tone of Charlie Parker, negotiating unusual Indian scales and modes with a bebop swagger. Rumbling away throughout is witty drummer Dan Weiss, who lurches between tablas, cymbals and full-on thrash rock kit-bashing, but the breakout star is guitarist Rez Abbasi. He’s like a dozen players in one: on Snap he’s echoing Keith Levene’s postpunk textures, on Showcase he’s Jimmy Page; on the title track he’s John McLaughlin; on Take-Turns he’s Wes Montgomery. As with most Indian classical music the majority of the tracks use just one chord, but Abbasi’s inventive rhythm playing and countermelodies take us on a harmonic voyage that never sounds static.