Most musicians buy their instruments off the rack; a few make their own. More unique still are musicians such as Justin Gray who devise instruments previously unheard in the annals of music. On New Horizons, the Canadian composer-band leader shines on the bass veena, a distinctly shaped fretless bass with attributes of several Indian string instruments. The core of his band consists of two percussionists, but the album includes a dozen other musicians playing a host of instruments from India, the Near East and the West. The bass veena is a resonant creation capable of setting tempo as well as taking the lead in compositions that bring a jazz pulse to Indian traditions.
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