llan Salem, Israel’s best known and most influential flute player, releases his third album, “Wild”, which tells a story of a journey through old and new, collected from Israel’s musical heritage and his own modern ideas as a composer. Salem’s playing showcases his ability to give the flute a strong and unrestrained voice that leads the other instruments with a natural flow.
In “Wild”, the encounter between high-octane New York jazz and oriental world music creates a fruitful musical symbiosis. Amos Hoffman strikes the string instrument Oud, just like on Avishai Cohen’s Continuo, and switches to guitar in the swinging five-beat “Bad Boy”. Ilan Salem has been praised by critics for his incredible versatility: “Jazz has been around for over a hundred years and I expect at least another hundred chameleons like Wild among all music styles.” (Martin Erlandsson, Orkesterjournalen).
On “Wild”, Salem is accompanied by Amos Hoffman on oud and guitar, Gilad Abro on contrabass, Nitai Hershkovits on piano and Amir Bresler on drums. Bassist and composer Avishai Cohen, a central figure in the making of “Wild”, contributes vocals and contrabass on “Anna Boei” and his own composition, “Ann’s Tune”. Percussionists Ilan Katcha and Itamar Doari, along with pianist Shai Maestro also make unique guest appearances.
By the end of “Wild”, the US – trained flute master has convinced us with his combination of his homeland Israel’s folk music and South American rhythms seasoned with a markedly jazzy phrasing.
The sound of Salem’s flute is lyrical, full of expression, as if floating in a dreamlike experience... this is an ensemble that interacts, enjoys playing their music... It’s not jazz standards. This is the sophisticated art of improvisation.
Y. Harsonsky, Ynet, Israel
Composer Ilan Salem shines in the Israeli Jazz scene as the prime creator of a unique statement in composition and improvisation – his music fuses the jazz aspect – cosmopolitan and authentic – and he succeeds in creating a new and exciting “fabric”.
Prize committee, Prime minister’s composer’s prize for Jazz, Israel
