RENOWNED JAZZ bassist Avishai Cohen returns to Spain for a 9-date major city tour including Murcia on May 4. Over the past few years Cohen has become recognized as one of the most creative musicians of current times and a standard bearer for the future of jazz. He last played in Murcia at the XIII edition of the San Javier International Jazz Festival last summer.
Cohen grew up in a musical family at Kibbutz Kabri, Northern 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. Later, after playing in an Army band for two years, he began studying upright bass with maestro Michael Klinghoffer. Two years later he 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 Cohen, 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.
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, along with New Jersey's Mark Guiliana on drums and Israel's Shai Maestro on the piano. His later albums have featured this formation with an 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, Kurt Rosenwinkel, 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, 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.
Seven Seas
Cohen's signature sound is a blend of Middle-Eastern, eastern European and African-American musical idioms. His latest CD Seven Seas is currently available on Blue Note Records. (source Wikipedia)
Avishai Cohen plays the Miguel Angel Clares Auditorio as part of the jazz series 'Las Noches de Blue Note' on Wed 4th May. Concert starts at 21:30. Tickets are €20. More info at www.avishaicohen.com
Keep the ViBES ALiVE
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Labels: Avishai Cohen, Las Noches de Blue Note Records, RTN Articles
Med Soul ~ 17-24 Sep 2011
THIS SEPTEMBER, on the Costa Brava, in Lloret de Mar, north of Barcelona, Med Soul Old Skool Music Festival >>>
www.medsoul.co.uk
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Labels: Med Soul
Saturday, April 2, 2011
XVII ed. La Mar de Músicas advance programme announced
LA MAR de Musicas in Cartagena, July 8-23, 2011, includes Stewart Copeland, Third World, Gilberto Gil, Cyndi Lauper, and Mavis Staples. The XVII edition is dedicated to the music of Italy. The full programme will be announced on Apr 13. More info at www.lamardemusicas.com
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Labels: La Mar de Musicas
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Richard Street's Temptations ~ Fri 10 Jun
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Labels: Richard Street, Teatro Municipal Torrevieja
Dave Finnegan's Commitments ~ Sat 23 Apr
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Labels: Dave Finnegan's Commitments, Teatro Municipal Torrevieja
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Mauri Sanchis Trio new album
HAMMOND ENDORSER and one of Jazz San Javier's favourite son's, Mauri Sanchis, has two new albums due to be released this year. Firstly a trio album with Razl on guitar and Blas Fernandez on drums, titled 'What Do You Expect?' Second, 'Live At Home' to be released on CD & DVD featuring music from two concerts with the Superband recorded in Alicante and Alcoy. Mauri said "Its a very emotional project for me, since I recorded it at home."
Also there is another project in the pipeline, 'Intimo', with a more relaxed and acoustic theme.
Excerpts from 'What Do You Expect?', the new Mauri Sanchis Trio album soon to be released
www.maurisanchis.com
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Labels: Mauri Sanchis Trio
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Bettye LaVette plays Alicante - Sun 20 Mar
I JUST heard the g'news that singer Bettye LaVette is in Alicante this weekend. She is currently touring Europe, performing three concerts in Spain, then on to Holland, Belguim, France and Switzerland before returning to America to continue touring.
Ms. LaVette is a Grammy nominee American soul singer-songwriter who recorded her first record at sixteen on Atlantic Records, when she had a single, "My Man - He's a Lovin' Man", which became a top ten R&B hit. She later did a brief stint with the James Brown's Revue as well as being signed to Motown, but it's her recordings on Atlantic, Calla, Big Wheel, West End, Atco and many other indie soul labels that she is best known for. Her recording of “Let Me Down Easy” on Calla in 1965 is considered by many to be one of the greatest soul recordings of all time. She briefly gave up recording for a six year run in the Broadway smash 'Bubbling Brown Sugar'.
I've Got My Own Hell to RaiseIn 2005, Bettye achieved wider recognition with the release of her album, I've Got My Own Hell to Raise, which was on many reviewers list for 'best album of 2005'. Her eclectic musical style combines elements of soul, blues, rock and roll, funk, gospel, and country music. Some say, Amy Winehouse has made a major pop career by sounding like Bettye LaVette.
The records, however, have raised her profile and brought more people to her shows. As much acclaim as her recent albums have received, LaVette does not put much stock in them. Bettye would quit the record industry constantly over her career, there have been many more downs than ups, "Record companies have a bottom line, and I'm always frightened if I don't meet that," she says. "I don't depend on records anymore. They're kind of like a gift now. I depend completely on my show. This is the first time I've ever made any money in the whole 49 years. The very first time."
“There are dozens of really top-drawer female soul singers in what is a highly competitive field, but few can match the flawless totality of conveyed experience that Bettye LaVette never fails to achieve. She is the consummate artist who can relate on every level. Take Bettye LaVette away from soul music’s history and there is a gap which no other person I can think of could have filled”... the late Dave Godin.
Bettye LaVette plays the Palacio de Congresos de Alicante, Avenida de Denia, s/n., Alicante, Sunday 20th March · 20:00 - midnight. Supporting is Jesse Dee @ Take Five.
