16th December 2019: Rez Abbasi – Latest reviews for ‘A Throw of Dice’ including ★★★★ from Icon Magazine + more

In September Rez Abbasi released his 13th album & first film score A Throw of Dice featuring his group The Silent Ensemble. The album is based on ‘A Throw of Dice (A Romance of India)’, a vintage black-and-white Indian-German silent film from 1929:

Rez Abbasi – electric and acoustic guitars
Pawan Benjamin – tenor and soprano saxophones, bansuri and western flutes
Jennifer Vincent – acoustic bass, cello
Rohan Khrishnamurthy – mridangam, ghatam, khanjira
Jake Goldbas – drum set

Since it’s release the album has been greatly received picking up some wonderful reviews including ★★★★ from Icon Magazine and a cover feature on this month’s JazzEd Magazine.

“Using elements of jazz, rock, Indian and classical music… ‘A Throw of Dice’, like all notable soundtracks, sounds just as interesting without the cinematic image.”
JazzBuzz (full review)

“Rez Abbasi has carved out a career exploring the interfaces btween his diverse musical heritage… A highly unusual release with a wealth of original creative ideas.”
Jazz Views (full review)

“Abbasi and band have a very rich palette… For those that like their jazz laced with music of the East and want to hear stimulating and subtly exciting fusion, this is the place to be.”
★★★★ Icon Magazine (website)

“Denoting tremendous sagacity in the arrangements and juggling a variety of influences, ‘A Throw of Dice’ provides aural pleasures in each of its narrative episodes. Abbasi’s first cinematic essay comes filled with expressive charisma and musical substance…”
JazzTrail (full review)

“It’s dramatic music that moves through a variety of moods, incorporating Indian instruments but also blending jazz with surprisingly ferocious rock, and equally surprisingly mellow mood pieces.”
Stereogum (full review)