We're familiar in these parts with alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa because of his work with pianist Vijay Iyer. The duo, representatives of a new generation of New York jazz musicians, subtly intertwine their Indian ancestry with their music. At the 2004 North Sea Jazz Festival we could already see that they were among the best new-style jazz performers. Mahanthappa, whose dynamic playing has earned him several Rising Star nominations on his instrument in the DownBeat International Critics Poll, gained a great deal of experience working as a sideman for David Murray, Steve Coleman and Jack DeJohnette, among others. With his quartet (which also includes Vijay Iyer - except at this festival, because this year the young, versatile pianist Craig Taborn will accompany him), Mahanthappa delivered his third album in 2006: Codebook. It contains interesting compositions based on numerology and cryptography. Discover the hidden meaning in the music!
