Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Avishai Cohen: Adama

Avishai Cohen: Adama

By Jack Bowers
April 1, 1998
View read count

It’s true, one can’t always appraise a book by its cover. Looking at bassist Avishai Cohen’s grim visage on the jacket of Adama, I was expecting to hear music of a similar temperament within. And while there are a few brooding passages, most of Cohen’s music — he wrote 11 of the disc’s dozen selections — is upbeat and buoyant. Melodically and rhythmically in the mainstream, it’s also eccentric enough to capture one’s interest and bear repeated listening (lend an ear, for example, to the captivating Middle Eastern influences that enliven “Madrid” and “Adama,” or the vibrant African–centered cadences of “Gadu”). Besides writing interesting lines, Cohen is a remarkably talented player whose marvelous technique and clear intonation serve an always–inventive conception. He receives earnest support from front–liners Wilson (who may have found his niche on soprano) and Davis, rhythm mates Lindner and Ballard, and guests Mehldau and Rossi (in a trio setting of “Bésame Mucho”) and Rossi, Corea, Perez and Alias (on “Gadu”). Hoffman, who plays oud on “Madrid,” “Dror“ and “Adama,” offers a superb guitar solo on “No Change.” Mehldau is a well–chosen companion on “Bésame Mucho,” while Corea (on Fender Rhodes) and Perez are sublime soulmates on “Gadu.” As for Cohen, he has ample space to unlimber his formidable chops, especially on “Bass & Bone Fantasy,” “Bésame Mucho” and his “Bass Suites” Nos. 1 and 2. Although the session falls short of memorable, it is consistently enterprising and exceedingly well–played, and the assessment from this vantage point is that we’ll soon be hearing much more from Mr. Cohen.

Personnel

Avishai Cohen

bass

Album information

Title: Adama | Year Released: 1998 | Record Label: Stretch Records

PREVIOUS / NEXT

A Go Go
< Previous

In Hamburg
Next >

Avishai Cohen Concerts

Dec 1 Mon

AVISHAI COHEN TRIO

La Cooperative De Mai
Clermont Ferrand, France

Mar 4 Wed

AVISHAI COHEN QUINTET

Le Trianon
Paris, France

Support All About Jazz

All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.