Reza Khan releases his sixth album, Imaginary Road, via Painted Music. He 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 is a melodic contemporary jazz album that grabs you from the get-go. It's fairly safe to say that if you don't enjoy the opener 'Waiting for the Sky' then you're not going to enjoy the rest of the album. This is rather a niche area of jazz, but it's one that is mellow and relaxing and, unlike a lot of jazz, has great and memorable tunes that you can totally chill out to.

Upbeat, to the point of almost being cheesy, Imaginary Road is an album that will make you smile and reflect on how good life is. There's a Spanish influence on tracks like 'Midnight Runner' and a holiday in the sun vibe on 'Broken River'.

This is an enjoyable, engaging instrumental release that will have you dreaming of sunnier climes.

8

Nick Smithson