Shifting Sands

Album review

Over the years, Avishai Cohen has established his reputation and expanded his fan base with his broad orchestral compositions, complete with instrumentations and inspirations taken from across the globe (Aurora, Seven Seas, Two Roses). However, the Israeli double bassist regularly returns to the traditional piano/double bass/drum trio that saw him explode onto the small modern jazz scene at the turn of the 21st century. Originally featuring Sam Barsh on the piano and Mark Giuliana on drums, the trio later achieved near perfect balance with Shai Maestro and Itamar Doari. Nonetheless, it’s experienced its fair share of instability in recent years, with Cohen struggling to regain the organic cohesion that once gave the trio its originality and strength.

Shifting Sands immediately ranks among the major successes of Cohen’s discography, due in no small part to the fact he’s now accompanied by Elchin Shirinov on piano and young Israeli prodigy Roni Kaspi on drums. These musicians seem to be the missing pieces that were needed for Cohen to get back in the game and give his compositions a new lease of life. The musical language this trio speaks is eloquent and well-established (pure melodic lines, diverse rhythms, precise grooves). However, the organic, responsive and focussed way they articulate themselves supersedes all expectations, eliminating any sense of superficiality and proving the trio aren’t simply going for the easy option (things that have arguably lessened the impact of the double bassist's previous productions). Here Cohen returns to the powerful lyricism of clean, crisp music, with forms created to be as precise as they are intentionally simple. The compositions are perfectly tuned to the emotional force of the song and possess some kind of melancholic sensuality that gives this incredible release real depth. © Stéphane Ollivier/Qobuz