The Jazz River—Spellbinder – The Artistry of Gabor Szabo

In a world of unique and original voices on guitar, Gabor Szabo ranks right up there. Because he started out on a poorly-made guitar he had to hit the strings harder and finger-pick in a way that sounded as if each of his fingertips had fingertips of their own. There is a metallic brightness to his sound that was his sound alone. He largely played an amplified acoustic and could be seen curling deep into it, not unlike how Bill Evans curled in his keyboard. His work with Chico Hamilton and early solo albums inspired Carlos Santana to move away from being B.B. King and into being himself. His use of feedback gave him access to the drone he so loved in Indian music. His sympathetic rhythm playing endeared him to Charles Lloyd and Lena Horne, and his love of pop music and psychedelia gave those covers entirely new ways to hear their compositions.

The Jazz River prides itself on introducing listeners to forgotten, unknown, and/or certainly talents deserving of wider recognition. This man who, at 18, walked across the Alps to escape the communist rule of his country and into the West Coast jazz scene, left an indelible mark in the world of improvised music.

Tune in Sunday, August 15, at 5 pm when The Jazz River travels through the artistry and one-of-a-kind sounds of Gabor Szabo. Only on KUVO JAZZ!

Stay connected to KUVO’s programs and our community’s activities: Sign up for the station’s Oasis Online E-newsletter today!