Shir Ahava (Alon Yavnai, 2012)
Israeli jazz pianist Alon Yavnai collaborates with Germany’s NDR Bigband in Shir Ahava ( “A Love Poem” in Hebrew). Alon Yavnai presents original compositions that cross boundaries, mixing American big band jazz, orchestral music, Afro-Cuban grooves and the global sounds of the Middle East.
Highlights of the album include ‘Bitter roots’, ‘Ilha b’nit’ and ‘Sof’.
Alon Yavnai is now based in Brooklyn (New York) and has collaborated with renowned musicians like American cellist Yo-Yo Ma and Cuban saxophonist Paquito D’Rivera. He has recorded with Freddie Hubbard and Nancy Wilson. Yavnai is an Associate Professor at Boston’s renowned Berklee College of Music. He has released three previous CDs with trios and a sextet.
On Shir Ahava, Alon Yavnai offers a finely-calibrated ensemble of piano and big band orchestra with a stylish mix of jazz and world music.
Author: Angel Romero
Angel Romero y Ruiz has dedicated his life to musical exploration. His efforts included the creation of two online portals, worldmusiccentral.org and musicasdelmundo.com. In addition, Angel is the co-founder of the Transglobal World Music Chart, a panel of world music DJs and writers that celebrates global sounds. Furthermore, he delved into the record business, producing world music studio albums and compilations. His works have appeared on Alula Records, Ellipsis Arts, Indígena Records and Music of the World.
