Omer Avital is Avishai Cohen’s favorite bassist and just from listening to Cohen’s Triveni records, it’s very easy to understand that. Avital plays precisely and funky with an appealing tone (and tone matters much, it helped to define Charlie Haden).
This bassist’s talents extend to leading and composing, as Suite Of The East makes abundantly clear. That, and the seven Avital albums that came before it. Now comes his ninth — New Song — on sale November 4, 2014 courtesy of Motéma Music, another occasion for the full range for those talents to go on display.
Avital’s quintet for this undertaking remains largely the same as it was for East: Cohen on trumpet, Joel Frahm on tenor sax and Daniel Freedman on drums all highly accomplished leaders in their own right. French-based Israeli Yonathan Avishai is the “new” guy, on piano.
These songs — all composed by Avital — are finely crafted synthesis of Middle Eastern, Afro-Cuban and American soul-jazz that’s world music without being self-consciously so. Maybe it’s because Avital brings an ebullient attitude to the music, not overcharged, but it’s hard not to “hear” him smiling (and he’s actually grinning broadly through the live rendition of “New Song” in the video above).
And why wouldn’t he be? That title song boasts a strong melody put together with sophistication: Avital, Avishai and Freedman interlock for a Latin groove as Cohen and Frahm sing the timeless harmony on their horns. “Hafla” brings the bounce of a traditional Jewish folk melody into the realm of American jazz, and Avishai displays a delicate touch that’s just right for this song.
More of that Afro-Cuban vibe can be found on “Tsafdina,” accentuated by festive background vocals and highlighted by lively piano/drums interlude leading into Cohen’s jumping solo. “Sabah El-Kheir (Good Morning)” has an alluring, old style pop melody with a lightly bouncing strut led by Avital. There’s extensive space for Frahm, who renders a soulful and well-paced solo. Avital’s ballad side comes out on “Avishkes” conveyed in tandem by Cohen and Frahm, but the leader puts the cherry on top with a sensitive bass solo.
Going against the grain of the album somewhat is “Yemen Suite,” which is a little darker and multifaceted, but it also reveals the breadth of Avital’s songwriting ability. Yet there’s a spring in its step, too. “Small Time Shit” closes out the album with the most straight ahead riff, a catchy, hand clapping soul tune. Joel ‘Soul’ Frahm leads the way with an inspired tenor sax aside.
Omer Avital probably can’t help that happy vibe, anyway. His uplifting approach to the music makes the difficult sound natural and easy and gets the major artistic forces in his band to completely buy into it. That helps to make anyone listening to New Song readily buy into it, too.
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