Noshir Mody is a stimulating and creative fusion guitarist displaying a beautiful tone, versatility, and inventive ideas on his picturesque originals. Throughout his career, he has recorded and performed consistently rewarding and thought-provoking sets of original music.

 

Mody's latest set debuts a selection of thought-provoking originals that are filled with strong melodies, superior and versatile guitar playing, and warm vocals by Kate Victor. The philosophical and hopeful lyrics combine with inventive jazz solos to form a memorable work. The album features Mike Mullan on alto and tenor saxophone, Benjamin Hankle on trumpet and flugelhorn, Campbell Charshee on piano, Yuka Tadano on bass, Jarrett Walser on drums and, on two of the five main pieces, Kate Victor on vocals. Always displaying a highly individual sound on the guitar and a fresh imagination, Mody is heard in top form throughout his timely An Idealist’s Handbook: Identity, Love and Hope in America 2020.

 

Born and raised in Bombay, India, Mody is self-taught on guitar. He has stated that his early inspirations included Indian classical music, Al DiMeola's Elegant Gypsy, music from Bollywood, and rock along with the modern jazz guitar masters.

After moving to New York in 1995, Noshir Mody dedicated himself to creative music, regularly leading his own trio in clubs. His original conception to playing music was well showcased in his groups The EthniFusion Rock Ensemble and The EthniFusion Jazz Ensemble, where Mody had a who’s-who of the New York music scene as guest artists including Atila Engin (awarded Danish Composer of the Year ’85, established the World to World Drums and Percussion Festival in Copenhagen), Adam Armstrong (performed w Kenny Kirkland, Kenny Wheeler, Maria Schneider, Billy Cobham), Dan Jordan (performed w Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Arturo Sandoval, Natalie Cole), Dan Willis (performed w Michael Brecker, Roland Vasquez, John Hollenback, Kenny Wheeler), Bob Magnuson (performed w Whitney Houston, Patti Austin, B.B. King, Issac Hayes) and Mark Weinstein (performed w Eddie Palmieri, Cal Tjader and Tito Puente).

 

Mody’s impressionistic playing and colorful originals are documented in his solo guitar recording In This World With You, his trio set Union Of Hearts and by his quintet and sextet ensembles on the albums Stories From The Years Of Living Passionately and A Burgeoning Consciousness, respectively.

​

Mody has received the World Songwriting Awards’ Best Jazz Song for ‘Illusions Grow’, Independent Music Awards Best Jazz Instrumental Album nomination (Album: Stories From The Years Of Living Passionately), two Global Music Awards for Outstanding Achievement in the ‘Album’ and ‘Group’ categories respectively (Album: A Burgeoning Consciousness) and has twice received the GASC Outstanding Achievement in Songwriting, Instrumental category for his compositions ‘India’ (Album: Stories From The Years Of Living Passionately) and ‘Secrets In The Wood And Stone’ (Album: A Burgeoning Consciousness); among other accolades.

​

Photo credit - Mike Mullan, MikeMullan.com

​