Biography
Todd Mosby, a skilled guitarist, has earned recognition for his intricate and expansive fusion of contemporary jazz, folk, new age, and North Indian raga traditions. His initial presentation of that approach arrived with the 2004 release West East, after which he pursued further intersections of Western and Eastern elements across a sequence of concept albums centered on nature and spiritual themes, among them 2016's Eagle Mountain, 2019's Open Waters, and 2020's Aerial Views. With 2023's Land of Enchantment he shifted focus to the dry terrains of America's Southwest.
Residing in St. Louis, Missouri, Mosby was raised in an aviation household and frequently served as co-pilot alongside his father. He also cultivated an early passion for music, beginning guitar studies at age six, though greater seriousness emerged only at 18. Following high school he enrolled at Berklee School of Music in Boston, where his jazz technique deepened, and he later fronted a new wave band for several years. During the '90s he established himself as a reliable jazz performer in the Saint Louis region while commencing private instruction with master sitar player Ustadt Imrat Khan in the traditions of Classical North Indian raga music. Over time this cross-pollination yielded a distinctive voice uniting jazz, raga, new age, and folk elements; his association with Imrat Khan additionally prompted creation of the acoustic Imrat Guitar, a hybrid sitar and guitar. He first displayed his boundary-crossing method on the 2004 debut West East, then joined Will Ackerman's Four Guitars ensemble soon afterward and commenced touring and recording with the group.
The 2016 release Eagle Mountain marked his sophomore album and the start of an interconnected series of nature-themed concept projects, earning a ZMR Award (Zone Music Reporter) for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. Open Waters, the second entry in that series, appeared in 2019 and secured another ZMR Award. Aerial Views followed in 2020 as the third installment, reflecting his affinity for the sky and flight. Drawing inspiration from the Southwestern United States landscape together with the paintings of Georgia O'Keeffe, he issued 2023's Land of Enchantment, which included performances by saxophonist Tom Scott, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, violinist Charlie Bisharat, and additional musicians.
Residing in St. Louis, Missouri, Mosby was raised in an aviation household and frequently served as co-pilot alongside his father. He also cultivated an early passion for music, beginning guitar studies at age six, though greater seriousness emerged only at 18. Following high school he enrolled at Berklee School of Music in Boston, where his jazz technique deepened, and he later fronted a new wave band for several years. During the '90s he established himself as a reliable jazz performer in the Saint Louis region while commencing private instruction with master sitar player Ustadt Imrat Khan in the traditions of Classical North Indian raga music. Over time this cross-pollination yielded a distinctive voice uniting jazz, raga, new age, and folk elements; his association with Imrat Khan additionally prompted creation of the acoustic Imrat Guitar, a hybrid sitar and guitar. He first displayed his boundary-crossing method on the 2004 debut West East, then joined Will Ackerman's Four Guitars ensemble soon afterward and commenced touring and recording with the group.
The 2016 release Eagle Mountain marked his sophomore album and the start of an interconnected series of nature-themed concept projects, earning a ZMR Award (Zone Music Reporter) for Best Contemporary Instrumental Album. Open Waters, the second entry in that series, appeared in 2019 and secured another ZMR Award. Aerial Views followed in 2020 as the third installment, reflecting his affinity for the sky and flight. Drawing inspiration from the Southwestern United States landscape together with the paintings of Georgia O'Keeffe, he issued 2023's Land of Enchantment, which included performances by saxophonist Tom Scott, drummer Vinnie Colaiuta, violinist Charlie Bisharat, and additional musicians.
Albums
