Avishai Cohen Trio

About

Avishai Cohen is an Israeli jazz bassist, composer, singer and arranger whose music refuses to stay in one lane. His sound pulls together Middle Eastern groove, eastern European folk traditions, African American jazz, and Latin rhythms into something that feels genuinely his own. He often sings in Ladino, the Judaeo Spanish language connected to his Sephardic heritage, and his compositions move freely between Hebrew folk songs, jazz standards, and contemporary jazz. The New York Times described his album Continuo as conjoining heavy Middle Eastern groove with a delicate, almost New Age lyricism. Over the course of a prolific recording career, Cohen has worked with Chick Corea, led his own trio through constantly shifting lineups, and collaborated with orchestras including the Gothenburg Symphony, the BBC Concert Orchestra, and the Philharmonie de Paris. His 2012 duo album Duende earned him the Echo Jazz Award for International Bass Instrumentalist of the Year. His 2017 album 1970 took a turn toward pop and rock textures, while Arvoles in 2019 brought him back to the trio format. His most recent album, Two Roses, features the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra.