“Mizrab” by Gabor Szabo

Gabor Szabo was born in Budapest, Hungry in 1936. As a teen, he was inspired by a Roy Rogers cowboy film to play guitar and started performing in covert jam sessions throughout the city. On the eve of the Communist takeover of Hungry, he escaped to the United States with his family, and soon attended the Berklee College of Music. He then joined Chico Hamilton’s quintet before branching out on his own.

Szabo is probably most known for penning “Gypsy Queen,” an instrumental track made famous by the Latin Rock group Santana. It was this adventurous take on jazz, showcasing his distinct and almost mystical playing that I too adore.
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“Mizrab” was originally featured on his 1966 Jazz Raga album. It’s a mesmerizing blend of genres, cashing in on the Raga Rock trends of the time. This version was recorded a year later from the live album The Sorcerer. It takes the orginal contemplative number and turns it up a notch. It’s also a wonderful introductory track for those of you unfamiliar with his work.