Nicolas Meier World Group release new album "Elysian Drift"

Nicolas Meier World Group have released their third album together, Elysian Drift, out August 28, with a launch show at Ronnie Scott's on September 1 followed by a tour. The Swiss-born, UK-based guitarist has released more than a dozen albums since launching his own label in 2009, and this one continues his pull toward "wanderlust and an innate musical curiosity," inspired by the places, people and cultures he and his wife have encountered while traveling. "The whole idea is to expand the world music sound inside jazz," he explains.

The album's cover, painted by Meier's wife Songul Yilmaz Meier, is a montage of places that shaped the record: Jackson Hole, Yellowstone, Japan and Morocco. Its 12 mostly original compositions are bookended by two standards: an opening version of Charlie Chaplin's "Smile," which Meier first heard played by trumpeter Arturo Sandoval and calls one of the most beautiful melodies, and a closing take on Oscar Peterson's "Hymn to Freedom," which he says is "good to be reminded about the issues of racism and having respect for each other."

The World Group's sextet mixes long-running collaborators with newer additions: percussionist Demi Garcia Sabat, violinist Richard Jones, who Meier has played with for almost 15 years, and bassist Tom Mason, a reunion after roughly 20 years, join newer pianist Alex Hutton and vocalist Randolph Matthews, whom Meier met at the International Jazzwerkstatt in Germany. "It's just magical to add the voice as an instrument," Meier said of Matthews. "Randolph comes up with different sounds... it's very much his own language."

Meier's love of blending genres runs through the record: "A Night in Sant Cugat," written for Sabat, brings in flamenco guitarist Jose Almarcha; "Colossal" draws on Egyptian music; and "Mystical" pulls from Moroccan rhythm, with Sabat driving the track on metal Gnawa castanets. "The Last Tango" is Meier's homage to Astor Piazzolla, a tribute from a musician who admits he still hasn't experienced tango in its home country.

Meier traced his own musical path back through a series of chance encounters: fellow Berklee student Jose Reinoso opened a door into Latin and South American music, MoonJune Records founder Leonardo Pavkovic introduced him to guitarist Dewa Budjana and to childhood hero Steve Vai, and he later toured the world twice with Jeff Beck. "The most outstanding thing I learned from them is not to copy others but try to create music within you," he said.