Born on the Indian sub-continent, removed at the age of four to the sounds of Southern California, schooled at the University of Southern California and the Manhattan School of Music in jazz and classical music, as well as a pilgrimage in India under the tutorial of master percussionist, Ustad Alla Rakha, Rez Abbasi is a vivid synthesis of all the above stated influences and genres.

Keyboards and the acoustic piano were the reigning pop-jazz instruments of the fall of 1990, with major releases ranging from veterans like Joe Sample and Bobby Lyle to up-and-comers like Makoto Ozone and Kim Pensyl. Perhaps the most long awaited of these releases was the solo debut of longtime Spyro Gyra keyboardist Tom Schuman. Extremities features SG saxman Jay Beckenstein as player and producer, but happily, Schuman's own playing shows a great deal more adventure and spunk than he is allowed in the band setting. He elegantly blends snazzy synth with sweet acoustic trimmings, playing it safe on a gorgeous cover of Minnie Riperton's "Loving You" while jamming on the fusion showcases and displaying a rich depth of the disturbing yet intriguing "Mood Swing." It took a long time, but Schuman's coming-out party was worth the wait.

Tom Schuman has done it again! Spyro Gyra's co-founding member and keyboardist has broken through the barriers that bind us to common musical forms. Tom catapults you to 11 different worlds he calls his Designated Planets. Everyone who loves music uses it to escape reality in some way. This CD has the same effect only on an interplanetary scope. Each song sends the listener to another celestial body of musical mastery from instrumental jazz to vocal funk.