Avishai Cohen Trio — Leverkusener Jazztage, 2021

Filmed live capture of the Avishai Cohen Trio at the 42nd Leverkusener Jazztage, on 10 November 2021 at the Erholungshaus in Leverkusen, Germany, produced for WDR’s Rockpalast. The Avishai Cohen here is the Israeli double bassist — not to be confused with the trumpeter of the same name — one of the most influential jazz bassists to emerge since the 2000s. He is joined by his trio of the period: Elchin Shirinov on piano and the young drummer Roni Kaspi, a tight format that foregrounds the interplay and melodic lyricism that define the leader’s writing. The programme blends original compositions, Mediterranean- and Hebrew-inflected melodies and sung passages, driven by Cohen’s singing, virtuosic bass playing. This full concert, shot in high definition with careful audio, runs close to ninety minutes and stands as a fine document of the trio’s maturity at this stage. A reference live performance for anyone discovering Avishai Cohen’s style in 2021, poised between swing, groove and chamber-like intimacy.