Atempo

Orbit | Updated: July 27, 2026

Active since: May 2, 2020

Atempo is an Israeli modern jazz piano trio formed in 2020 by pianist Itay Abramovitz, bassist Alon Stern and drummer Yoav Lachovitsky.

The trio creates original instrumental music rooted in jazz improvisation and shaped by Mediterranean, Balkan, Latin, African and Middle Eastern influences. At the center of Atempo’s music is the close conversation between piano, electric bass and drums, combining lyrical melodies, rhythmic movement and collective improvisation.

Over the years, the trio has developed a distinctive musical language that its members describe as the Atempo sound. Rather than simply placing different styles side by side, Atempo transforms its diverse influences into a unified language of its own. Lyrical melodies, unexpected rhythmic patterns, collective improvisation and the warm, grounded sound of the electric bass create music that can feel intimate and contemplative in one moment, and energetic and driven by groove in the next.

Atempo approaches each composition as a musical journey, allowing melodies, rhythms and improvisation to unfold through the interaction between the three musicians. This idea is reflected in the title of the trio’s debut album, Masa Beha (Journey Within You), released independently in 2021. The title refers both to the musicians’ creative journey and to the personal journey listeners experience through the music.

The trio’s second album, Supreme Chord, was released by Emmaya Records in 2025. Atempo is currently developing material for its third album and continues to expand its musical language through new compositions and collaborations.

Atempo has performed in Israel, Europe and the United States, including appearances in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland and Romania. The trio reached the semifinals of the Bucharest International Jazz Competition at EUROPAfest and has collaborated with musicians including flutist Mark Lotz, multi-instrumentalist Yair Dalal, and flutist and composer Mattan Klein.

Atempo has received recognition and support from leading Israeli cultural institutions, including the Israel Lottery Council for Culture and Arts, the Ministry of Culture and Sport, and ACUM’s Fund for Independent Creators. The trio’s international performances have received positive coverage in Germany, Poland, France and other countries, with critics highlighting its rhythmic energy, melodic character and distinctive combination of musical traditions.

In July 2026, Atempo opened the first jazz festival in the history of Pardes Hanna-Karkur. The festival grew out of a local jazz community that developed through intimate house concerts and a regular community concert series. Atempo bassist Alon Stern served as the festival’s artistic director, while the band’s manager, Adi Stern, was closely involved in founding and producing the event.

Tags

All About Jazz Articles

Articles Across the Web

...or were mentioned in an All About Jazz article.

“The trio creatively reimagines the style… The results are infectious, with a solid groove.”

— All About Jazz (USA), review by Carl Medsker.

“The Israeli jazz piano trio Atempo delivered an energetic two-hour performance that captivated the audience, with oriental and folk sounds unfolding over beautifully odd rhythms that got the crowd moving.”

— Rhein-Zeitung (Germany), concert review by Uta Gerhold.

“You will be lulled by calm, airy and touching melodies and then move on to improvisations with bouncy passages that will remain etched in your soul.”