NOSHIR MODY, A Burgeoning Consciousness

Indian born NYC mainstay Noshir Mody has led popular trios and showcased his explosive electric guitar chops in his bands The EthniFusion Rock Ensemble and The Ethnifusion Jazz Ensemble. On the rhythmically and harmonically diverse, improvisation-rich, spiritual minded A Burgeoning Consciousness, he whirlwinds together the best of all styles as the leader of a powerhouse sextet. Though he penned all six expansive tracks (only one under 11 and a half minutes) and gives himself ample solo sections throughout, Mody’s compositions -from the high octane, rock influenced “Precipice of Courage” to the thoughtful and lyrical “Reconciling Loss” – are arranged to balance brisk ensemble action and unforgettable solo spotlights by his cohorts that help illustrate the theme of each track. By name, that’s alto and tenor saxophonist Mike Mullan, trumpeter/flugelhornist Benjamin Hankle, pianist Campbell Carshee, bassist John Lenis and drummer Yutaka Uchida.

In his thoughtful liner notes, Mody explains the higher purpose of the project, with the first two pieces (“Secrets in the Wood and Stone,” “Consequence of the Uninitiated”) examining our external realm; the middle two (“Precipice of Courage,” “Reconciling Loss”) making investigations within, tapping into our internal conflicts, value conflicts, triumphs and failures; and the final two (“Weaving our Future From our Past,” “Forever July”) offering awakening and soulful reflection. Jazz has always tapped into the best of the human spirit. Mody makes sure that we never forget the details that go into creating spiritual unity out of our complex parts.