Atlas Maior

[AT-luhs MAH-yor]

Progressive Jazz meets world music

““The tune [Ya Ali] draws on multiple music traditions, using tools found in Pakistani ghazal, Colombian, Afro- Cuban and progressive jazz. It also follows their first collaborative single, “Nazuk,” a new take on a song by Ustad Pervez Mehdi, Ali Pervez Mehdi’s father.” ” - Matt Micucci

— JAZZIZ Magazine

““"You've never heard anything like this before"” ” - Michael Toland - review of Riptide

— The Austin Chronicle

““combines the fire and excitement of eastern musical culture with probing, Coltrane-like solos from Joshua Thomson on sax.”” - John Adcock - review of Riptide

— The Jazz Journal

Atlas Maior perform "Cumbia Raposa" from the album RIPTIDE for Electric Lady Bird's Summer Series (Austin, TX)

Mundo Tropidelico performance by Atlas Maior at Hotel Vegas

“Nazuk” is a composition that takes its lyrics from the 19th-century Punjabi Sufi poet Khawaja Farid of the Indian subcontinent. Farid, a prolific scholar and writer within multiple languages, belonged to the Chishti-Nizami Sufi order. The creation of “Nazuk” is informed by Ali Pervez Mehdi’s father, famous ghazal singer Ustad Pervez Mehdi, and the classical Sufi music and poetry form known as Kafi. “Nazuk” is sung in the language of Saraiki.

Atlas Maior and Ali Pervez Mehdi created 2 singles as a result of their collaboration- Nazuk and Ya Ali , along with releases Ya Ali - Felix 3AM Remix, & Jah Ali - Doctor Phono Remix.

An interview for KLRU, an Austin PBS affiliate. Decibel's Joe Rocha spent some time with the group: "Atlas Maior's music will make you feel like you're in a far out place, their sound mixes jazz, Latin, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern music. The Austin grown group is also one of the city's lasting bands, having celebrated their 8th "Atlas Maior Day" on March 27."