Avishai Cohen (bassist)
| Avishai Cohen | |
|---|---|
Cohen, Brosella Folk & Jazz, Brussels, 2010
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| Background information | |
| Born |
April 20, 1970 Kibbutz Kabri, Israel |
| Genres | Jazz, ethno jazz, folk jazz, jazz fusion |
| Occupation(s) | Musician |
| Instruments | Bass, vocals |
| Labels | Razdaz, Stretch, Blue Note |
| Associated acts | Chick Corea New Trio, Heernt |
| Website | www |
Avishai Cohen (Hebrew: אבישי כהן; born April 20, 1970) is an Israeli jazz bassist, composer, singer and arranger.
Avishai was born in Kibbutz Kabri, Israel. He grew up in a musical family at Motza and Beit Zayit near Jerusalem until the age of six, when his family moved to Shoeva, western Israel. He began playing the piano at 9 years old, but changed to the bass guitar at the age of 14, inspired by bassist Jaco Pastorius. Later, after playing in an Army band for two years, he began studying upright bass with Michael Klinghoffer. Two years later he moved to New York City, and got in contact with other jazz players. At the beginning of his stay there he had to struggle, working in jobs like construction. According to him his first year there was the most difficult year of his life, having to play bass in the streets, subways and parks. He studied music at The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, and after playing Latin jazz in a few bands in his student years, Cohen was approached by pianist Danilo Pérez to join his trio.
After a long period of performing in small clubs, Cohen got a phone call from the jazz pianist Chick Corea and was given a record contract. In 1996, he became a founding member of Corea's sextet Origin, and his first four albums as a leader were subsequently released under Corea's Stretch label. Cohen performed in Corea's bands until as late as 2003, when he left the Chick Corea New Trio and started his own record label; he currently performs with his own group, the Avishai Cohen Trio (with fellow Israelis Daniel Dor on drums and Nitai Hershkovits on piano). His later albums have been released by this formation with extended lineup including wind instruments.
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