Amos Hoffman is a jazz guitarist and oudist based in Tel Aviv. He started playing guitar at the age of 6, and oud at a few years later. He studied guitar privately, and attended the prestigious Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem. His search for new musical experiences led him first to Amsterdam, and then to New York City, where he played jazz with both established musicians like Dennis Charles Evelyn Blakey and Juma Santos and up and coming talents like Jason Lindler, Omer Avital, Sam Newsome, Jay Collins, bassist Avishai Cohen, Jorge Rossi and Duane Ebanks. He also began a more formal study of Middle Eastern music with Lebanese oud and ney player, Bassam Saba.
In 1998, he recorded his first solo ablum The Dreamer for the Spanish Label, Fresh Sound/New Talent. He has also contributed to numerous other projects, including Ben Wolfe’s 13 Sketches, 1997, Jay Collins’ Cross Culture,1999, Sam Newsome 1999 and bassist Avishai Cohen’s Continuo, 2006, Colors 2000 Devotion, 1999 and Adama, 1998.
Since relocating to his native Israel in 1999 after years on the New York jazz scene, Hoffman has spent the time since the release of his last CD (2006’s Na’ama, on the Israeli label Magada) further pursuing his passion for combining jazz with Middle Eastern music. The result of this multi-cultural fusion is Evolution , a ten track exploration of melodies and rhythms that incorporates compositional and improvisational elements common to both musical genres.
Not completely content to simply play his instruments, he’s also taught himself to build them. To date, he has built 3 ouds, including the one he plays on Na’ama and Evolution.
Recording Credits:
Evolution - 2008 , Razdaz Recordz
Amos Hoffman - Oud & GuitarAvishai Cohen - Contrabass, Piano, Vocals
Ilan Salem - Flute
Ilan Katchka - Percussion
All music & lyrics composed, written and arranged by Amos Hoffman
Na’ama - 2006, Magda Records
Amos Hoffman - Oud
Joshua Levit - Ney
Omer Avital - Contrabass
Ehab Nimer - Violin
Tomer Tzur - Percussion
Rea Bar Ness - Percussion & Marimba
Avishai Cohen - Contrabass on track 11
All music composed and arranged by Amos Hoffman
The Dreamer - 1999, Fresh Sound/New Talent
Amos Hoffman - Guitar
Avishai Cohen - Bass
Jorge Rossy - Drums
Duane Eubanks - Trumpet
All music composed and arranged by Amos Hoffman
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