CD Review: Avishai Cohen - Arvoles

Avishai Cohen (bass); Elchin Shirinov (piano); Noam David (drums) + Björn Samuelsson (trombone); Anders Hagberg (flute).

(Review by Lance).

A collection of Cohen originals and a traditional (Israeli?) tune. I found the music quite compelling, particularly the tracks where the trio is augmented by the horns. At times I  wondered where it was heading, however, when it got there the path taken turned out to be logical.

Difficult to pigeonhole, there are so many twists and turns, one moment it's a piece of modern classical music but, just as you adapt they're off on another tangent, maybe Afro-Caribbean or a glance towards bebop or maybe hip-hop or something else. In a strange sort of way, it grabs you then loses you then grabs you again.

Flute and trombone are without a doubt the icing on the cake maintaining sanity and, at times, even bringing a secular feel to it. Piano and drums are powerful contributors and in no way subservient to the leader.

Of course, having a bass player as the leader means a lot of bass solos but, even when that player is of virtuoso standard, it can still be one bass solo too many.

Nevertheless, it's an album well worth checking out - particularly by aspiring bassists - and although I'm not an aspiring bassist it is starting to grow on me...
Lance.
Try/Buy.