Yonathan Avishai is a magician with melody, as he has proven at the BIMHUIS in the bands of Omer Avital and Avishai Cohen. With the latter he gave a wonderful duo concert on the occasion of their collaborative album Playing the Room. Now he’s back with his own trio, which made an impression with their varied and entertaining album Joys and Solitudes on ECM Records.
Joys and Solitudes, an appropriate title for current times, contains a multitude of influences. Melody is the link between various styles, from tango to blues and music from Congo, translated to Yonathan Avashai’s own accent. The French-Israelian pianist reserves a special place in his heart for jazz legend Duke Ellington, whose composition Mood Indigo opens the album.
Yonathan Avishai piano, Yoni Zelnik bass, Donald Kontomanou drums