Introducing the orchestral Avishai Cohen – Almah and beyond this April with Two Roses

Bassist-composer-singer-bandleader Avishai Cohen has an exciting new orchestral record Two Roses out in the spring on the French Naïve label. With Cohen, one of the world's most gifted jazz bassists, are the 92-piece Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra …

Published: 11 Feb 2021. Updated: 3 years.

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Bassist-composer-singer-bandleader Avishai Cohen has an exciting new orchestral record Two Roses out in the spring on the French Naïve label. With Cohen, one of the world's most gifted jazz bassists, are the 92-piece Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Alexander Hanson and present too and intrinsic in the sound from the ground up are Cohen's jazz trio of pianist Elchin Shirinov and in a reunion Cohen with drummer Mark Guiliana revered since his earlier work with Cohen in his Gently Disturbed trio and later with Brad Mehldau in Mehliana.

Marlbank had a few listens to the Lars Nilsson, Lenny Ben Basat and Cohen-produced Two Roses earlier and, no danger at all of exaggeration, it's a record of staggering beauty. Arrangers on the album include the great Robert Sadin (producer and arranger of Herbie Hancock's Gershwin's World and arranger on Wayne Shorter's Alegría), Jonathan Keren, Cohen himself, and Per Ekdahl.

Richard Davis, playing Thad Jones' 'A Child is Born'

Nat King Cole and 'Nature Boy'

Ofra Haza singing 'Two Roses' ('Shnei Shoshanim')

Think back to 2014's Almah… the story continues as the Almah legend grows and takes Cohen's artistry to a new plateau. A blend of Afro-Caribbean music, Israeli folklore, drawing from Sephardi, Ashkenazi and Yemeni traditions and including new work of Cohen's, jazz standards and freshly arranged orchestrated material familiar from Cohen's back catalogue figure.

Tracks are: 'Almah Sleeping' – Avishai Cohen (composer, arranger), Jonathan Keren (arr.); 'When I’m Falling' – Avishai Cohen (composer, arr.), Jonathan Keren (arr.); 'Nature Talking' – Avishai Cohen (composer, arr.), Jonathan Keren (arr.); 'Song For My Brother' – Avishai Cohen (composer), Robert Sadin (arr.); 'Emotional Storm' – Avishai Cohen (composer, arr.), Per Ekdahl (arr.); 'Two Roses' (eg 'Shnei Shoshanim') – Mordechai Ze’ira (composer), Ya’Akov Orland (author), Avishai Cohen (arr.), Robert Sadin (arr.); 'Nature Boy' – Eden Ahbez (author, composer), Avishai Cohen (arr.), Jonathan Keren (arr.); 'A Child Is Born' – Thad Jones (composer), Avishai Cohen (arr.), Robert Sadin (arr.); 'Puncha Puncha' – Avishai Cohen (arr.), Robert Sadin (arranger); 'Morenika' – Avishai Cohen (arranger), Robert Sadin (arranger); 'Seven Seas' – Avishai Cohen (composer, arr.), Robert Sadin (arr.) [vinyl version only]; 'Arab Medley' – Avishai Cohen (arr.), Tscho Theissing (arr.); 'Overture ‘Noam’, Op. 1' [vinyl only] – Avishai Cohen (author), Robert Sadin (arr.); 'Alon Basela' – Avishai Cohen (author, composer), Robert Sadin (arr.). SG

Release date is 16 April. Avishai Cohen, top. Photo: Andreas Terlaak/Naïve

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Marcus Joseph, Beyond The Dome

Tuba player Theon Cross makes his presence felt here on Marcus Joseph's 'Arrival of the Giants' new this week from the Leicester alto saxophonist. Streaming ahead of Beyond the Dome to be released tomorrow via Jazz Re:Freshed the track is an …

Published: 11 Feb 2021. Updated: 3 years.

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Tuba player Theon Cross makes his presence felt here on Marcus Joseph's 'Arrival of the Giants' new this week from the Leicester alto saxophonist. Streaming ahead of Beyond the Dome to be released tomorrow via Jazz Re:Freshed the track is an impressive introduction to a player who has been around a while but will be unfamiliar still to most. Joining Joseph, also a spoken word and funk artist, are recent luminaries of the new generation of bandleaders on the UK jazz scene of the last 5-10 years including the aforementioned Cross. However, on 'Challenge Day' there is a featured spot from an earlier generation, the revered saxophonist-leader from the 1990s Gary Crosby Nu-Troop scene Tony Kofi and one of the biggest UK touring draws pre-Pandemic on the popular hard bop scene. Sheila Maurice-Grey from Kokoroko is also among the line-up as too is fine singer Randolph Matthews whose approach is reminiscent of Bobby McFerrin's. Randolph guests on 'What If'. The album's drummer is Eddie Hicks, last heard by this blog playing a club date with Juliet Kelly, and who followed on from Seb Rochford to join Sons of Kemet. Beyond the Dome is also available to order on 12-inch vinyl.