The Master

This effort pairs guitarist Warren Cuccurullo (Duran Duran, Missing Persons, Frank Zappa) with legendary Indian sarangi player Ustad Sultan Khan (George Harrison, Tabla Beat Science, etc.). Originally recorded in 1998, with additional finishing work done in 2014 after Khan’s passing, the music here blends ambient soundscapes and guitar from Cuccurullo with Khan's playing and singing. “The Holy Man’s Plea” kicks things off with Khan front and center, with his most affecting vocal performance on the album (although “Sikar” comes in a close second). Those wanting to hear his sarangi can turn to “The Lost Master,” while “4D Suite” has the ebb-and-flow playing that recalls traditional Indian music. “Mirror Margana” moves firmly into trip-hop with dense textures punctuated by slow, echoing drums. The levitating “Octavia” pushes deeply into ambient territory while the stripped-down “You Can’t Tell” has an undeniable immediacy. Fans of Khan’s traditional work may find the arrangements here to be a Western perception of Indian music, but the master sounds fully engaged throughout.