Home » Jazz Articles » Amos Hoffman: Evolution

Amos Hoffman: Evolution

By Dr. Judith Schlesinger
July 31, 2008
Sign in to view read count

The oud is the principal instrument in Middle Eastern music: it's an ancient, fretless, short-necked lute with five pairs of strings and a bass string. On Evolution, his third CD as leader, Amos Hoffman plays the oud he made himself, and offers a fascinating combination of Middle Eastern music and jazz.

The Tel Aviv-based Hoffman wrote all the tunes here, providing a mix of composed and improvised music with hypnotic, sensuous, and insistent rhythms. Aside from Hoffman's soulful oud, the CD features his guitar, the warm alto flute of Ilan Salem, the intricate percussion of Ilan Katchka, strong piano, vocals, and upright bass of Avishai Cohen, who is also one of the co-founders of Razdaz Recordz, the label that released Evolution. Hoffman has played in Cohen's band for more than twenty years, and their relaxed interplay helps to warm this recording.

Only two of the tracks are slow, and one of these—the sinuous "Exploration"—has some surprising moments, including a repeating Latin groove and an electric guitar solo with a distinctly modern feel. Other highlights include the soulful "I Met You, " which seems destined for wide radio play on the more adventurous stations, the timeless oud showcase of "Takasin Bayati, " and the jazz ballad called "Miss T." But although the musicians' freedom and mutual inspiration are clearly audible, this is not your usual jazz record: instead, it's an exciting, exotic journey that evokes the swirl of sand and silk.

Track Listing

Enayim; Exploration; Silence; Hamsa; Takasin Bayati; I met you; The Wheel; The Journey; Miss T; Sweet Eden.

Personnel

Amos Hoffman: oud, guitar; Avishai Cohen: bass, piano, vocals; Ilan Katchka: percussion; Ilan Salem: alto flute.

Album information

Title: Evolution | Year Released: 2008 | Record Label: Razdaz Recordz

Post a comment about this album

FOR THE LOVE OF 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 create 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.

WE NEED YOUR HELP

To expand our coverage even further and develop new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for a modest $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination will vastly improve 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.