Gently Disturbed | Avishai Cohen Trio

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Gently Disturbed | Avishai Cohen Trio

By Dan ⋅ July 14, 2008 ⋅

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Update: A video interview with Avishai Cohen as been posted here.

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Anyone who knows me, knows that I have an unhealthy obsession with a little place I like to call NYC. That obsession just went through the roof. Today, I fell in love with the NYC jazz scene. How could I have been missing out on this for so long? The band that triggered this notion was The Avishai Cohen Trio… absolutely incredible. I’ve already decided to go see them live at the end of August in NYC when they return from Europe, and then again when they come to Boston in September.

I just purchased Gently Disturbed (2008), which was just released June 20th. All it took was a 30-second clip of the track Chutzpan and I knew I had to make the purchase. You don’t have to be a big jazz fan to appreciate this album. But if you happen to like jazz, I know you’ll love it. I’m usually more of a jazz guitar guy or even big band stuff, so there really aren’t many piano/bass/drum trios that have really seized my full attention. That’s right, my full attention. I had to stop playing the CD while writing this post because it refused to let me do anything other than be engulfed by some of the most energetic, intricate, and articulate modern jazz out there. This is modern jazz at its best my friends.

Avishai Cohen has been cranking out albums since 1998, so I’m a little embarrassed that it took me 10 years to come across his music… and that’s just when he started releasing his own albums. But I assure you, Gently Disturbed will not be my last purchase. I couldn’t say this better myself… “Bassist/Composer/Band Leader Avishai Cohen, born April 20, 1970 in Israel, is a musician who has been called a jazz visionary of global proportions by DownBeat, and was declared one of the 100 Most Influential Bass Players of the 20th Century by Bass Player Magazine. Cohen is not only renowned around the world as an influential double bassist and profound composer, but also as a visionary bandleader that is following in the footsteps of Mingus, Dave Holland, Jaco Pastorius, Ray Brown, Charlie Haden, Stanley Clarke, and even Sting. In fact, every move Avishai Cohen makes routinely causes waves of critical praise.” - [Biography] Just to throw it out there, Avishai has recorded with nearly 50 albums!

I certainly agree that Avishai is an incredible bassist, but the other two members, Shai Maestro - Piano and Mark Guilliana - Drums, are definitely nothing to sneeze at either. Shai Maestro is only 21 and is already playing with a world renowned bassist touring the world. He’s soon to be a world renowned musician himself. Mark has had his share of other projects as well. His release with the band HEERNT even grabbed the attention of King Crimson drummer Bill Bruford, who called their Locked In a Basement (2006), “the most exuberant, dramatic, beautiful, sassy, genre-busting little outing that I’ve heard since I don’t know when.”