Or Bareket: 33

Israel-native bassist and composer Or Bareket has made a name for himself in international jazz waters since his move to New York in 2010. By working with the likes of veteran musicians such as Chris Potter, Peter Bernstein and currently Ari Hoenig, as well as the younger generation represented by Camila Meza and Yotam Silberstein, Bareket has evolved into a musician with a distinctive voice of his own. On 33, his sophomore album as a leader, Bareket teams up with said younger generation and delivers a versatile recording of mostly self-penned pieces and two compositions from the Latin-American songbook.

While there are many moments spread across this set of tunes in which Bareket implicitly reveals the importance of his own instrument within the respective compositional structure, it is also a collective effort that drives the songs to their most expressive places. The emphasis on Shachar Elnatan's exquisite guitar work on the opening "Still Searching" is beautifully paired with Nitai Hershkovits' piano runs—at times guiding the melody in unison, then accompanying with left hand chord stabs before trading solos with the guitar.

Other cuts from the record are more atmospherically natured—triggered, among other things, by wide keyboard spreads ("Feb 1st," "W Schubert & Troy"). Here Bareket leaves the spotlight to serve the spacious harmonic progressions that are guided by carefully wrought melodic phrases. Afore mentioned Camila Meza makes an appearance on vocals for the reinterpretation of Argentinian writer Manuel Castilia's words and Ernesto Leguizamon's music in "Zamba de Argamonte." The intimate setting of Meza's breezy voice paired only with Bareket's bass charms its way to the second cover of the record, "Carmo Capricho." This time around a rapid melody, played in a smug legato by all involved in alternating fashion, builds up to a dynamic crescendo that ends in the quiet and smoothly plucked theme in 16ths on bass. Meza returns, this time on guitar as well, for the contemplative closer "Tzafonah."

With 33 Or Bareket has crafted an elegant record that exudes a balance and youthful wisdom. It is a demonstration of his maturation as a composer as well as an adequate platform for displaying the musical talents that currently surround him.

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