At Home

I saw the trio perform on the North Sea Jazz Festival 2005. Guiliana plays like he wants to ru'n his kit. Barsh has enough attitude in his eyes -cocky like hell- to pass it into his music and Cohen is the masterbrain. I knew this from "At Home", but was still surpised by their fire on stage. They rock!!!

On "At Home" the trio is joined by an ensemble. This gives more depth to the sound. I am not a fan of the flute playing Anne Drummond, though on track 6 the compared sound of flute and flugelhorn sounds terrific. Track 3 involves singing which I believe to be a big mistake of the composing Cohen, but the music has a nice ethnic quality wich gives Cohen his identity.
Track 4 gives me the oppertunity to mention that great piano trio E.S.T. In Remembering the Cohentrio plays not unlike E.S.T., but otherwise this trio (& ensemble)is not to be compared. I find the sound new an never dull.

FJB/O!-music 2005

You know....

I listened to snippets of Avishai Cohen's latest release, At Home. The album of course has the definite flavor of a Avishai project. The polyrhythms, the complexed movements in sound, etc etc etc. However, these sounds and play on rhythms eventually become a little too predictable. It's kinda weird to have something as complexed as he does, yet feel it predictable. If you listen to some of the cuts off of this album such as Feediop, it sounds very similar to the track Balkan on his Colors project released a few years ago on Stretch Records. Now don't get me wrong this is definitely my boy and I'm beyond blessed to have been introduced to his music but when three of the CDs I've heard by him all mirror each other in an eery way......

It gets redundant (for lack of better words) I think his Lyla CD stands out the most with it's crisp horn section and it's play with the fender rhodes in tracks such as Handsonit. There is a very settle piece on At Home called No Words and even that resembles some of his piano solos heard on the Lyla project. I don't know....maybe the fact that Chick Corea had some influence with Lyla has something to do with how it stands out. My point is this....Home was definitely a surprise at first and I'm glad he was able to kick another album out of his mahogany bass however.....

If he kicked out another sound along with the album that would be nice as well.

Avishai Cohen is, undoubtedly, one of the most talented and most interesting Jazz bassists today. As a bassist, seeing live was a very inspiring experience, and I learened a lot, not to mention enjoyed it greatly.

Although buying a CD right after the concert is sometimes a recepie for disappointment, this one wasn't. The CD is very pleasent to hear, and can be an excellent Jazz background CD, to work or relax to its sound.

However, it has much more that that. I haven't listened carefully to the bass playing yet, but I am certain it is great. The tunes are almost classical by sound, and yet, manage to be intetresting and constantly developing as Jazz should be.

My favorite piece is "Remembering". The basswork there is minimal, and the piano does most of the work. Yet, the result is such a beautiful Duet between them, that it is impossible to resist. Actually, earing it on radio made me search for this CD long before the concert.

The other songs are all worthy counterparts. Cohen's bands are excellent and do a great job in placing the bass in the center, and yet, not disappearing into the background. I must comment, though, that although Cohen's Upright Bass playing is innovative, original and interesting, there is nothing new in his Electric Bass playing. He plays it as he plays his upright.

However, I recommened this CD to any bass player. You should know Avishai Cohen's stuff, whether you play an upright or an electric. I bet you'll learn a lot by just listening.

In addition, I rcommened this CD to any Jazz lover, because it is indeed a very good piece of Jazz music.