Noshir Mody Qt Ethnic Jazz Fusion at Somethin' Jazz Club

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Noshir Mody is a stimulating and creative fusion guitarist displaying a beautiful tone, versatility, and inventive ideas on his picturesque originals. Throughout his career, Mody has recorded consistently rewarding and thought-provoking sets of original music. His recent Stories From The Years Of Living Passionately features five of his sophisticated compositions performed by a quintet also including Tsuyoshi Niwa on soprano saxophone, pianist Carmen Staaf, bassist John Lenis and drummer Yutaka Uchida.

On Stories From The Years Of Living Passionately, the musicians stretch out on the songs, with only one piece being under 11 minutes long, yet they make every moment count. Their performances are as colorful as the song titles, which include "The Next Chapter, " "India, " and "A Pearl Discovers The Oyster." Mody's guitar playing, while occasionally recalling Gabor Szabo and Pat Metheny, is quite distinctive, thoughtful and unpredictable. Niwa and Staaf also have plenty of solo space and the high quality of the improvisations and the grooves always hold on to one's attention. Whether it is the peaceful but danceable "To Be In Your Thoughts, " the pretty melody of "Beckoned By Mercury" or the 5/4 groove of "A Pearl Discovers The Oyster, " every selection on this CD will be of strong interest to modern jazz fans. The music brings out the best in the musicians and vice versa, resulting in a particularly memorable set.

Born and raised in Bombay, India, Noshir Mody was self-taught on guitar. He had an original and unique conception to playing jazz from the start. His early inspirations included Indian classical music, Al Di Meola's Elegant Gypsy, music from Bollywood, rock and the modern jazz guitar masters. Mody immersed himself in jazz after moving to New York in 1995, leading his own trio in clubs. His eclectic and open-minded approach to music was well showcased in his groups the EthniFusion Rock Ensemble and the EthniFusion Jazz Ensemble.

Noshir Mody's solo guitar recording In This World With You and his trio set Union Of Hearts displayed both his memorable originals and his impressionistic playing. Now with the release of Stories From The Years Of Living Passionately, a project that features his compositions interpreted by a top-notch quintet, Noshir Mody's musical vision is fully realized.
What's all the fuss about?

Folk & Acoustic Music Exchange, Review by Mark S. Tucker
"...High art, as far as I'm concerned, one of the year's stand-out cuts [A Pearl Discovers The Oyster] so far, within a CD that doesn't brazenly demand re-listening but instead seduces. You'll be tossing it into the player again and again without even realizing it."

JazzTimes, Review by Scott Albin
"...Niwa's solo features his full-bodied soprano timbre, fresh ideas, and logical flow. Mody's improv reveals Indian influences and nimble constructs and runs in the manner of Pat Metheny. Staaf once more plunges deeply into the tune's harmonies, with tantalizing lines and impactful chordal sequences, graced by Mody's delicate enhancements. Lenis and Uchida maintain separate yet cohesive rhythmic streams that are again not to be overlooked..."

Jazz Weekly, Review by George W. Harris
"...A piece such as "The Next Chapter" flows like a stream for nine minutes, while on the sixteen minute "India" Mody has his guitar chords chime like bells and Uchida's cymbals sashay the groove along like a spring breeze. A delicate ride cymbal taps along during "A Pearl Discovers the Oyster" and Mody's solo beams across like a rainbow at sunset, just before the panoramic "To Be In Your Thoughts" closes this journey with optimistic notes of joy. As fresh and cleansing as a summer rain!"

Acid Dragon Magazine, Review by Phil Jackson
"Self-taught Bombay guitarist Noshir Mody has assembled a magnificent array of musicians to record a deeply personal, sonically rich and beautifully produced album..."

Improvijazzation Nation Magazine, Review by Rotcod Zzaj
"...This is surely the direction jazz is headed for in the 21st Century & beyond…. my personal favorite of the 5 (long) tracks offered up was the stunningly pervasive opener, "The Next Chapter"… waves of passion will invade your thoughts and bring you the peace that only jazz can bring..."

Midwest Record, Review by Chris Spector
"...Whatever you've ever dug is in the mix here from Shakti to smooth jazz to Paul Horn to Paul Winter to Pall Mall. Kicking it out with a quartet of like minded pros on a mission to serve it right and tight, Mody is out to make the world a smaller place. First rate stuff that sounds like world beat for a nu generation of jazzbos..."

Blogcritics.org, Review by Jack Goodstein
"...If expressive melodies and harmonies can be said to serve as metaphors for that moment of inspiration, Mody's music makes the case. The album is the pudding's proof..."

JSITop21, Review by John Shelton Ivany
"...Behind his guitar the sound is youthful and loving, and we are treated to a great mix of impressive musicianship."

Scott Yanow, author of 11 books including The Great Jazz Guitarists, The Jazz Singers, Jazz On Film and Jazz On Record 1917-76
"A top-notch jazz and fusion guitarist, Noshir Mody composes picturesque originals that are impossible to classify as anything but high-quality modern jazz..."

Noshir Mody Quartet, Live Performance - Saturday Aug 9th at 9pm
SOMETHIN' Jazz Club
212 E. 52nd St. 3Fl.
New York, NY 10022

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