Avishai Darash: Between Hope and Despair

Having a regular salary and a prestigious position would be considered as a successful achievement for many musicians. Israeli-born pianist and Amsterdam resident, Avishai Darash decided to buck the trend and gave up his position as artistic director and pianist for the innovative Marmoucha Orchestra to return to his solo career. Whilst stepping out of his comfort zone was not easy, he was now armed with knowledge gained from composing and arranging numerous albums with the orchestra and other projects. This has led to Between Hope and Despair, an album that allows him to use his arranging skills with influences from Israeli and North African traditional music, classical and jazz.

Darash uses the hope and despair of the title as the driver for exploration of his experience and responses to the ongoing global turmoil following the events of the 7th of October, 2023. He is helped in this by some well-chosen collaborators; distinctive Cuban bassist Ivan Ruiz Machado, experienced Iranian drummer Shayan Fathi and a stellar contribution from Spanish-Russian trumpeter Antonio Moreno Glazkov. The album consists of nine Darash compositions.

The album opens with the title track. Darash uses his experience of writing for multiple instruments and transfers it to arranging sound combinations for this smaller ensemble. This gives a full sound to the swirling melody of love and loss, where Glazkov's melancholic trumpet contrasts with Darash's optimistic, flowing piano. The mood changes with the soulful swaying rhythms that Machado and Fathi lay down for "Supernova." Glazkov shows flexibility in his trumpet techniques in his yearning solo in this infectious melody. The bustling drums of "Seventh" lead to tight trumpet and piano combinations before more excellent work from Glazkov.

"Bastrika" shows folk influences as it moves through flowing piano and swirling trumpet melodies. Nothing holds sway for too long in this swiftly moving tune. Darash is at his best in "Echo Chamber." His searching piano brings an air of mystery to the track with an undulating melody that would work well as a soundtrack. "The Sage" drifts gently in as it moves to trumpet phrases and piano counterpoint.

The album closes with the fast-moving "Midnight Express." There is no connection to the film of the same name, but it is perhaps more concerned with mass population movements. Trumpet and piano combine to build the drama and sense of motion. Darash explores a scale in intimate detail, resulting in a memorable melody. The album title is well chosen; there are dark moments woven through what are mostly upbeat melodies. Darash lets the light and shade express his personal perspectives; his collaborators share his passion and sensitivity, delivering an album of excellent compositions, fine arrangements and some outstanding playing.