Avishai Cohen

Infobox musical artist
Name = Avishai Cohen

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Img_capt = Avishai Cohen performing in Kiev, Ukraine on 29 November 2007
Img_size =
Background = non_vocal_instrumentalist
Birth_name =
Alias =
Born = birth date and age|1970|4|20
Died =
Origin =Jerusalem, Israel
Instrument = Double bass
Bass guitar
Piano
Genre = Jazz
Latin jazz
Occupation = Bassist, composer, bandleader
Years_active =
Label =Razdaz Recordz
Stretch Records
Associated_acts = Chick Corea New Trio
URL = http://www.avishaimusic.com/
Notable_instruments =

Avishai Cohen (born April 20, 1970) is an Israeli jazz bassist, composer, singer and arranger.

Early life

He grew up in a musical family in a small town near Jerusalem, Israel. He began playing the piano at 9 years old, but changed to the bass guitar at the age of 14, inspired by legendary bassist Jaco Pastorius.cite web
url=http://www.tonight.co.za/?fArticleId=3357674&fSectionId=431&fSetId=251
title=Soaking up sound
publisher="Tonight"
accessdate=2008-04-01
last=Albert
first=Don
date=2006-07-27] Later, after playing in an Army band for two years, he began studying upright bass with maestro Michael Klinghoffer. Two years later moved to New York City, and got in contact with other jazz players. At the beginning of his stay there he had to struggle, working in jobs like construction. According to him his first year there was the most difficult year of his life, having to play bass in the streets, subways and parks. He studied music at Mannes College The New School for Music, and after playing Latin jazz in a few bands in his student years, Cohen was approached by pianist Danilo Pérez to join his trio.cite web
url=http://home.nestor.minsk.by/jazz/articles/2005/07/0048.html
title=Avishai Cohen :: interview
publisher="Jazz News"
accessdate=2008-04-01
last=Auskern
first=Leonid
date=2005-07-13]

Breakthrough

After a long period of performing in small clubs, Cohen got a phone call from the jazz pianist Chick Corea and was given a record contract. In 1996, he became a founding member of Corea's sextet Origin, and his first four albums as a leader were subsequently released under Corea's Stretch label. Cohen performed in Corea's bands until as late as 2003, when he left the Chick Corea New Trio; he currently performs with his own group, the Avishai Cohen Trio (with New Jersey's Mark Guiliana on drums and Israel's Shai Maestro on the piano). His later albums have been released by this formation with extended lineup including wind instruments.

Aside from Corea, Cohen has accompanied, recorded or performed with several noted jazz figures such as Bobby McFerrin, Roy Hargrove, Herbie Hancock, Nnenna Freelon and Paquito D'Rivera. Other collaborators include Claudia Acuña ("Wind from the South", 2000), Alicia Keys (studio recording) and the London and Israel Philharmonic Orchestras (concert performances). Cohen has been cited as "undoubtedly the most successful" of Israel's jazz exports by "The Jerusalem Post", [cite journal
url=http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1139395670934&pagename=JPost%2FJPArticle%2FShowFull
title=Avishai Cohen at home
journal= The Jerusalem Post
accessdate=2008-04-01
last=Davis
first=Barry
date=2006-03-25] a "jazz visionary of global proportions" by "Down Beat", one of the 100 Most Influential Bass Players of the 20th Century by "Bass Player" magazine, and "a great composer" and "a genius musician" by Chick Corea himself. [cite journal
url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20070503/news_lz1w03god.html
title=Who made you God?
journal=The San Diego Union-Tribune
accessdate=2008-04-01
last=Varga
first=George
date=2007-05-03]

Music

Cohen's signature sound is a blend of Middle-Eastern,eastern European and African-American musical idioms. [cite journal
url=http://arts.guardian.co.uk/reviews/story/0,11712,1067900,00.html
title=Avishai Cohen
journal=The Guardian
accessdate=2008-04-01
last=Fordham
first=John
date=2003-10-22
authorlink=John Fordham] "The New York Times" describes his 2006 album "Continuo" as conjoining "heavy Middle Eastern groove with a delicate, almost New Age lyricism". [cite journal
url=http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9906E3DB1E3EF932A3575AC0A9609C8B63
title=The Listings
journal=The New York Times
accessdate=2008-04-01
last=Chinen
first=Nate
date=2006-09-01
unused_data=|September 1 - September 7; AVISHAI COHEN QUINTET/THE THREE COHENS - New York Times]

Discography

* "Adama" (1998)
* "Devotion" (1999)
* "Colors" (2000)
* "Unity" (2001)
* "Lyla" (2003)
* "At Home" (2004)
* "Continuo" (2006)
* "As is...Live at the Blue Note" (2007)
* "Gently Disturbed" (2008)
* "Sha'ot Regishot" (2008) (in Hebrew: Sensitive hours)

ee also

* List of jazz bassists

References

External links

* [http://www.avishaimusic.com/ Avishai Cohen's official website]
*allmusicguide | id=11:ajfyxqlhld0e
* [http://jazzfestbrno.cz/jfb06/english/program/ Avishai Cohen at JazzFestBrno 2006]
* [http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4633395 Israeli Jazz Bassist Avishai Cohen] - discussion of Cohen's work by Chris Douridas on the May 6, 2005 edition of "Day to Day" on National Public Radio
* [http://www.obnoxiouslisteners.com/featured/video-interview-avishai-cohen/ Obnoxious Listeners: Video Interview with Avishai Cohen]
* [http://www.sensitivehours.com Avishai Cohen's new record "Shao't Regishot"]