Rez Abbasi: When Everything Else Fades, Sound Remains

Today, the Spotlight shines On guitarist and composer Rez Abbasi.

Rez's new album with his Acoustic Quintet, Sound Remains, puts steel-string acoustic guitar at the center of a deeply personal meditation on presence and impermanence. The album adds master percussionist Hasan Bakr to Rez's long-standing quartet with Bill Ware, Stephan Crump, and Eric McPherson, creating what Rez calls music where "often the only thing that remains is sound."

The 2021 Guggenheim Fellow has spent decades finding his voice in jazz, blending his Pakistani roots with American musical traditions. Sound Remains, dedicated to his late mother, finds Rez returning to acoustic intimacy while furthering his exploration of mindfulness through music.

(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Sound Remains by the Rez Abbasi Acoustic Quintet)

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Dig Deeper

• Visit Rez Abbasi at reztone.com and follow him on Instagram and YouTube
• Purchase Rez Abbasi's Sound Remains from Whirlwind Recordings, Bandcamp, or Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choice
• Rez Abbasi: Top 5 Must-Hear Picks
• Dig into this episode's complete show notes at spotlightonpodcast.com

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