Yishai Afterman

Yosef Gutman Levitt: Shir Yedidot

by Mike Jurkovic
August 5, 2025

There is a restive, Christmas-time sound of new hope and expectations running throughout Shir Yedidot that is hard to fathom at first, given that the repertoire moves effortlessly from Chabad nigunim (Hasidic wordless melodies) into original compositions.  It is as if the gifted trio--leader/bassist Yosef Gutman Levitt, pianist and ECM recording artist Yonathan Avishai  (Joys and Solitudes, 2019; with trumpeter Avishai Cohen Playing The  Room, 2019) and oudist Yagel Haroush. Haroush also adds depth and texture playing the kamancheh (Persian ...