Kalyani

For Kinsmen, Rudresh Mahanthappa's fifth album as leader, he trades in his standard sax quartet for the hybrid American jazz/South Indian classical Dakshina Ensemble, co-led by Carnatic saxophone legend Kadri Gopalnath. Guitar, bass, and drum kit are joined by violin and mridangam and the leaders' two saxophones; meeting squarely between the two traditions. There is a strong Indian flavor to the soloing of both Gopalnath and his longtime violin player A. Kanyakumari, and the melodies are Indian inspired but the music only sounds purely Carnatic in spots. No, this is a jazz album and it swings mightily through most of the program.