Guitarist Rez Abbasi makes the kind of music that draws from all corners of the world. From the far reaches of the East to his home on the West Coast in LA, Abbasi weaves together beautiful musical scenes with each recording he releases. His recent album, A Throw of Dice, proves all the above and then some. He was commissioned to score a nearly century old German silent film based on an episode from the Mahābhārata, one of two epic Sanskrit tales of India from the 8th century (See what we mean about Abbasi drawing from all corners?) We got him on hand to give us the finer details on the project and sample some of this sweet music that defies categorization.

This brought to mind the later work of Charles Lloyd and Gabor Szabo. Both artists drew their distinctive sounds from the world at large, especially when they were members of Chico Hamilton’s group, known for their international flavor during the fertile late ‘60s and early ‘70s. Both artists branched out into World music, as well as spirituality, Rock, Soul, and Psychedelia with the likes of some of the decades’ finest; they worked with the Beach Boys, Bobby Womack, Jim Keltner, Bob James, members of Traffic, Parliament, the Byrds, the Headhunters, Quicksilver Messenger Service, and more. Through these collaborations Lloyd and Szabo helped to create a sonic hybrid that too defies categorization. 

Earthy, ethereal, and a stone groove. As we often say, this is music for curious eardrums.

ABOUT THE MAJOR SCALE:

Your attention please to a new program that celebrates and takes a fresh and bold look at the great American art form- JAZZ!!!

The Major Scale is the title, the motto and the mission are, Jazz- past, present, future, and everything in between. A lot of focus will be on new and fresh sounds, deep cuts, closer looks at underrated artists, taking a different look at some of the titans of the genre, and getting the two cents worth from a number of surprise guests and sources.

The Major Scale can boast amongst it's guests- legends like Herbie Hancock, Tom Scott, and Ahmad Jamal. The up and coming and the underrated-Kamasi Washington, Mia Doi Todd, Michael Blake. Fresh perspectives and commentary from the likes of Rock legend Al Kooper, who weighed in on the gospel. From The New Yorker, Amanda Petrusich expounds on her article about the movement to rename the Williamsburg Bridge in honor of Sonny Rollins. We explore the Soul-Jazz experiments of the Rascals. Grace Kelly from The Late Show with Stephen Colbert talks about her pop-up/flash mob concerts. Plus Thundercat, Henry Mancini, Ghostface Killah, Jaimie Branch, Nels Cline, Badbadnotgood, Cecil Taylor, and more get pick up on the Major Scale radar.

Produced in Central Florida, this program seeks to become one of the defining voices of this Native American art form, and everything else that finds itself under it's umbrella. Think about programming and content found on the likes of World Cafe, Philadelphia, PA. Tiny Desk from Washington D.C., and KEXP Live from Seattle, WA. and that's what the Major Scale strives to do.

For the curious, and lovers of music who like the details in between.

ABOUT KYLE EAGLE (Host):

Kyle Eagle has been a contributing writer and producer for the NPR-WBGO, WUCF, WPRK, Wax Poetics, The Orlando Weekly, Artbourne, and The Fiscal Times, as well as several music and film releases- Light in the Attic's documentary "This Is Gary McFarland", and an upcoming film on composer Jack Nietzsche. Recordings- Call Me-Jack Wilson, Live at the Penthouse, Grachan Moncur III, Chico Hamilton, and Andy Bey.

ABOUT CHRIS BARANYI (Producer):

Chris Baranyi is a sound engineer and music producer. He splits his time between designing AV systems for theme parks and recording music. Chris has worked with many Orlando area musicians with backgrounds in jazz, fusion, hip-hop, funk, new age, and classical. Some of which have been featured on NPR's Echoes. His passion includes jazz, vintage microphones, and hot sauce.