Avishai Cohen
May 1999

"I compose on piano or bass and when composing, I don’t think of too much--just whether it’s a rhythmic melody or vamp and whether I want it to stay and have a life whether for duet, quintet or sextet."

Devotion
Stretch
1999

Reviewed By
Jim Santella
Jack Bowers

Adama
Stretch
1998

Reviewed By
Jim Santella
Jack Bowers

By Paula Edelstein

Avishai Cohen is part of a rare breed of contemporary bass players who make their living by fulfilling other people’s desire to hear their music. As a youth in Israel, he was exposed to many musical influences that have shaped his sound, a seasoned mix of near-Eastern, Sephardic melodies, Latin grooves, blues and even strings. A later move to the United States of America, at age 14, deepened his appreciation of jazz with a studious but difficult transcription of Jaco Pastorius and Stanley Clarke “licks” for electric bass. Back in Israel in 1986, Avishai got into Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk, Charlie Mingus and John Coltrane. He continued to play electric bass, working nights and backing singers. He later took an interest in upright and commenced its study from fundamentals to the Bach Cello Suites. But Cohen yearned for something more and in 1992, he made the move to New York City, New York.

Countless sessions on the New York jazz scene, performing with Paquito D'Rivera, Joshua Redman, Roy Hargrove, Leon Parker, and Wynton Marsalis, prepared Cohen for “the” call from jazz pianist Danilo Perez. "From then on, things were great," says Cohen. "I was still writing music myself. I've always been writing, since I was a kid, and started working with drummer Jeff Ballard, getting a really tight sound. When that “tight sound” was noticed by executives from Stretch Records, Chick Corea’s new record label, Avishai was signed to debut ADAMA, which has garnered and continues to get universal raves.

As Avishai grew musically, Chick Corea was forming his acoustic ensemble, ‘Origin.’ In 1998, Cohen was invited to join Corea's ensemble and it has kept Cohen busy between dates as a leader. "It's a very energetic, New York-style band,” says Cohen of Corea's latest musical venture. "Chick just wants to play. He wants to blow. And this band, man . . . we're out there to kill."

Avishai Cohen’s obvious ability to visualize and execute grand-scale projects of his own is even more apparent on his latest release for Stretch Records, titled DEVOTION. The 29-year old Cohen provides the listener with a substantial aural odyssey from Israeli melodies to Latin blues on instruments from around the world. "The oud is a very dominant sound in my music," says Cohen. "It's a grounding, earthy sound that doubles the bass lines I play, and anchors the rest of the music." Not only does DEVOTION feature a dynamic oud, but treats the listener to the influences of Maestro Michael Klinghoffer, Andy Gonzalez, Danilo Perez and Chick Corea --all prevalent throughout the recording produced by Avishai with executive producers, Chick Corea and Ron Moss. In an exclusive interview for ALL ABOUT JAZZ.COM, we caught up with Avishai after his astounding performances at the Big Sur Jazz Festival and L.A. Jazz 1999 during a recent Spring tour across California.

ALL ABOUT JAZZ: Hello, and thank you for talking to ALL ABOUT JAZZ.COM. Happy Birthday! I really enjoyed your performance at L.A. Jazz 1999. I’d like to talk about DEVOTION, your second release as a leader on Stretch Records.

AVISHAI COHEN: Thank you.

AAJ: Each composition included on DEVOTION paints a remarkable picture of your many musical influences. You've described yourself as a rhythmic player that bonds with the drummer before anyone else. Let's talk about the paranormal intuition that has evolved between you and Jeff Ballard on drums.

AVISHAI: We’ve been playing together for a few years now and have reached a common rhythmic ground. He provides a lot of agreement for my compositions and finds safe, imaginative places to go. He constantly evolves and plays the way I like.

AAJ: Do you compose the rhythm sections before anything else in your compositions?

AVISHAI: Not really. I compose on piano or bass and when composing, I don’t think of too much--just whether it’s a rhythmic melody or vamp and whether I want it to stay and have a life whether for duet, quintet or sextet.

AAJ: The bassman is the man that keeps the rhythm for the group...as you say “a skeleton of groove for the entire band.” What concentration techniques do you engage to help you keep that steady rhythm?

AVISHAI: A lot of what I write...staccato, vamps, grooves, etc. are repetitive. Whether under a melody or horn line, the bass line is always there and I feel responsible for grounding the band, providing the roots.

AAJ: “Negril” features some “mean” basswork by you. Which do you find more exciting to play - acoustic or electric bass?

AVISHAI: Doesn’t matter. Acoustic is more subtle so on “Negril,” I had to play electric since the acoustic line would not fit.

AAJ: As part of an overall education for bassists, would you recommend the study of both instruments at different phases of one’s musical training or at the same time?

AVISHAI: It wouldn’t harm to play both but it depends on your passion to play. On acoustic, one must obviously study the classics, bowing and the like, but it depends on what you want from the bass experience.

AAJ: Many people find fusion a natural progression from classical music to jazz in their musical development. Do you hold your study of the Bach Cello Suites responsible for imparting the classical thread through some of your compositions?

AVISHAI: Yes, the Bach Cello Suites have deeply affected me since I began playing. They’re a bunch of brilliant compositions but it was a hard task to transcribe them since they were composed for cello.

AAJ: DEVOTION, your second release on Stretch Records is imaginative, free-spirited and energetic. On “Candella City,” which has a serious Latin bass line, how does Jason Linder's approach on piano differ from a Latin mood set by the dynamic Chick Corea or Danilo Perez?

AVISHAI: That’s not my tune...that’s Jason’s. The beauty of his interpretation is that he’s got his own way to Latin music. It fits.

AAJ: “The Gift,” your tribute to Chick, is truly amazing and one of the best tunes on the set. Do you envision it as the cornerstone of your future concerts?

AVISHAI: I think so too. It’s a hit and everybody likes to do it. It’s great and always works, whether in a festival or concert setting.

AAJ: Your career has taken off since hooking up with Chick Corea and is now gaining major acclaim. The vibe with him must be tremendous especially since ADAMA, your time with his ensemble 'Origin', and now as executive producer of your sextet on DEVOTION. What's it like being out there with such a master?

AVISHAI: It’s great. Just by being his sideman, I soaked up a lot of important experience that has helped me as a leader. Just being with him, talking to him, playing with him is the best thing I could do because he’s so thorough, so relaxed, so experienced and as you say, he’s a master.

AAJ: Do you intend to keep the same sextet -- Jason Linder, Jimmie Greene, Steve Davis, Amos Hoffman and Jeff Ballard together so that the group can develop and retain its following, much in the same way as the original "Return To Forever?"

AVISHAI: Yes totally.

AAJ: Thank you and I appreciate your taking the time from your busy schedule to speak to me. I look forward to many more gems from your treasure trove. Have a great time here in California.

AVISHAI: Thank you.

In addition to the technical and physical demands of a musical career, many artists must contend with the vicissitudes of funding and tastes of their audiences. Avishai Cohen won’t have to worry about any of that as DEVOTION is one of many rare gems audiences can expect from his treasure of compositions, one that will keep its value for many years to come.