About Me
Trumpet Avishai Cohen is one of the most in demand trumpet players in New York and around the globe. His diversity has allowed him to perform and record regularly with folk/jazz vocalist Keren Ann, pianist Jason Lindner, Roy Hargrove, Third World Love, as well his own band.
Avishai Cohen blends his love of African music, traditional jazz and his Israeli heritage to create a dynamic musical experience focusing on rhythmic exploration, unusual compositional forms and groove. His recent band includes Lionel Loueke, Yosvany Terry, Jason Lindner, Omer Avital and Daniel Freedman. Avishai recorded his second CD as a bandleader, After the Big Rain, with this band and it will be released in the Winter of 2006.
While living in Tel Aviv, Israel, trumpeter Avishai Cohen was the trumpet player of choice for all leading jazz, rock, pop studio and television projects, recording with Israeli artists such as Gidi Gov, Shalom Chanoch, Arik Einstein, Asaf Amdurski and Eviatar Banai. He placed third in the prestigious Thelonius Monk Jazz Trumpet Competition and was awarded second place in the Carmine Caruso Jazz Trumpet Competition. Avishai has performed with artists such as Dave Liebman, the late Arnie Lawrence, John Hendrix, Jimmy Heath, George Garzone, Clark Terry, Ira Sullivan, Jason Lindner, Omer Avital, Jeff Ballard and many more.
His first album as a bandleader, The Trumpet Player with Jeff Ballard, John Sullivan and Joel Frahm was released on the Fresh Sound New Talent label. The record was chosen by Ben Ratliff of the New York Times as one of the records of the Sunday Times Playlist. Avishai has also recently recorded a third album with the acclaimed band Third World Love (www.thirdworldlove.com) with co-leaders Omer Avital, Daniel Freedman, and Yonatan Avishai to be released in late 2006. This album follows their hugely successful sophomore release Avanim and their debut CD on Fresh Sound World Jazz label, Third World Love Songs. Avishai also performs regularly with the 3 Cohens (www.3cohens.com) a group formed with siblings Anat (tenor sax and clarinet) and Yuval (soprano sax). This group released their debut album One in 2004 and will be recorded their highly anticipated follow-up in the Fall of 2006.www.avishaicohenmusic.comAvishai Cohen has all the power and tenacity hes going to need...a band that rewrote its own rules in each song. - Ben Ratliff, New York TimesAvishai Cohen the trumpet player is a stunningly good player, with a strong, clear, incisive tone, an enviable melodic imagination and a powerful drive. He writes impressively too... -Barry Witherden, Jazz Review...Hes got some of the confident tone and rhythm of Clifford Brown under his fingers, and plays battling, hard-hitting figures and intervals. -Ben Ratliff, New York Times
