Reza Khan - Imaginary Road (2021)

In his career, Reza Khan has created his own musical world, performing music that is often easy-listening but never predictable. His guitar solos, while inspired at times by Pat Metheny, Lee Ritenour and Wes Montgomery, have their own musical personality.

On Imaginary Road, his sixth album as a leader, Khan is joined by his longtime band (pianist Matt King, bassist Mark Egan, drummer Maurizio Zottarelli and, on two selections, rhythm and Brazilian guitarist Sergio Pereira) along with welcome guest appearances from David Mann (on soprano, flute and other wind instruments), electric guitarist Miles Gilderdale (best-known for his work with Acoustic Alchemy), and Philippe Saisse on keyboards.

Imaginary Road begins with "Waiting For The Sky, " a melodic piece that has a happy optimistic feel (as if to say that anything is possible) with some heat generated by Mann on soprano and guitarist Gilderdale. "Neo Funk" sounds like the start of a road trip. It features contrasting but complementary guitar solos from Khan and Gilderdale, and inventive statements from pianist King and Saisse on synth. "I See Stars" is a warm ballad with Khan's guitar in the lead of the core group which is joined at times by Mann on flute and a melodic signature bass solo by Mark Egan. "La Liason, " while musically depicting the end of a love affair, is a thoughtful original that expresses hope for the future featuring Phillippe Saisse on Melodion.

One of the most memorable selections on this collection is "Midnight Runner, " an atmospheric performance which could easily serve as a soundtrack. "Broken River" has a strong forward momentum and gets funkier as it progresses. "Seven Miles Road" is a colorful journey that includes a guitar-flute tradeoff while the energetic "It's Happening" is most notable for a fine statement from Mark Egan and arguably Matt King's most rewarding piano solo of the project. The spiritual piece "Somewhere East" looks towards Khan's Eastern roots while still keeping his feet planted in contemporary jazz; Mann's soprano playing adds plenty of passion. This enjoyable set concludes with "Imaginary Road, " a happy closer that gives each of the musicians an opportunity to groove joyfully to its conclusion.

Born in Bangladesh, Reza Khan grew up as part of a musical family and was trained on Indian percussion from the age of eight. But after hearing the album Frampton Comes Alive, he permanently switched to the guitar. His early influences included Pat Metheny, the Rippingtons, and Acoustic Alchemy. Khan's first band, Yours Sincerely, had a best-selling album but the guitarist soon switched gears to pursue a career in international relations. Moving to the U.S., he graduated from Queens College with a degree in computer science. Khan worked for the United Nations and spent a period living and playing music in South Africa. Since returning to New York, Reza Khan has developed his own fresh style and recorded a series of popular albums: 2009's Painted Diaries, A Simple Plan, The Dreamwalker, Wind Dance, and Next Train Home.

Reza Khan and his group have performed throughout New York and Europe during the last few years, building up an audience that will clearly be pleased by the highly enjoyable music of Imaginary Road.