Avishai Cohen once again opens an essential gateway into a new creative and expressive dimension that knows no boundaries and reaches out to every side and every listener.
In “From Darkness”, the Israeli composer and bassist returns to the very core of his musical vision, which is reinforced by the influence of two outstanding partners, pianist Nitai Hershkovits and drummer Daniel Dor. All eleven compositions were recorded with the impact of a live performance.
This unity between human and sound owes a lot to a virtue which is here brought to its highest intensity: Mutual listening, a soulful and heartful science that presides over the destiny of true music.
The music in “From Darkness” metaphorically charts a progress from darkness to light utilizing and juxtaposing a diversity of stylistic devices to develop the minimalist motifs from which Avishai Cohen builds his themes. From bop and rock insouciance he drifts towards Eastern folk melodies, dances and lullabies, encompassing the whole world of music within a simple piano trio. The album features instant classics such as the timeless “Ballad For An Unborn” and the lullaby-like “Almah Sleeping”, acclaimed by fans and critics worldwide.
The path from obscurity to light is indeed a key step in Cohen’s long-term quest for the absolute and for purity. The art of this trio is rich and condensed, pulsing with new ideas, reduced to the essential and brought forth by a thousand subtly harmonized shades.
From Darkness offers a subtle fragrance of ethnic traditions, combined with the unique dynamics of the trio.
NGR - Israel
Original compositions with strong links to folk melody, complex, constantly altering rhythms, pace which ebbs and flows, and all demanding musicianship of the highest technical prowess and most acute sensibility.
Peter Bacon, The Jazz Breakfast
Produced by Avishai Cohen and Lars Nilsson
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Lars Nilsson at Nilento Studios, Sweden, between May and July 2014. Nilento Studio team: Michael Dahlvid, Jenny Nilsson. www.nilento.se
Executive Producer: Ray Jefford
Project Coordinator: Nicola King
Artwork: Toby Larnder
Front Cover Photo: Seda Ozguven
