This is a bold and vivid musical statement from trumpeter Avishai Cohen.
ECM 2822 / 652 1054
Avishai Cohen (trumpet, flugelhorn, flute); Yonathan Avishai (piano); Barak Mori (double bass); Ziv Ravitz (drums)
Recorded November 2023
This is a bold and vivid musical statement from trumpeter Avishai Cohen, and music born out of tragedy, conflict and the horrors of war torn Israel. Having set aside time in October to compose the music for his forthcoming ECM recording session, Cohen instead found himself unable to do so, or play his instrument for nearly a month.
About to abandon plans to record and tour he was persuaded otherwise by pianist and friend Yonathan Avishai, and in the space of a week the trumpeter had composed the five part ‘Ashes to Gold’ suite that makes up most of the album.
As one would expect, the music is a powerful and emotionally charged work, yet for all the angst there is a sense of calm expressed in the lyrical playing of the quartet that ensures that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Cohen has also used the opportunity to add a new voice to the quartet by featuring himself on flute as well as trumpet and flugelhorn. From the lovely introduction on the instrument over a rubato passage from bass and piano before he picks up his trumpet and the composition suddenly magnifies and intensifies the drama as Cohen squeezes out anguished notes from his horn.
The turmoil of ‘Part I’ is alleviated by the lyrical ‘Part II’ and the stately opening from piano and double bass in ‘Part III’, along with Cohen’s warm sounding and majestic flugelhorn. A darker hue briefly returns in pianist Avishai’s opening statement, with a glimmer of light being offered by Cohen once again on flute.
The concluding segment of the suite is the magnificent ‘Part Five’ that builds from a dancing piano ostinato, that surfaces throughout the piece, and evolves through Cohen’s majestic trumpet playing that moves from the urgent to the gently lyrical. His control of timbre and dynamics along with forays into the upper register give the music a depth and meaning beyond the notes.
As if to provide relief after such a monumental build up of tension, the trumpeter brings the album to a close with a beautiful reading of ‘Adagio assai (from Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major) with Coehn’s full toned flugelhorn dominating throughout, superbly accompanied by double bass prior to being joined by piano and drums. As a fitting finale Cohen plays the lyrical ‘The Seventh’ composed by his teenage daughter.
Once again, as with many of ECM’s recent releases, we hear the further artistic development of an artist on their roster. Artistic growth that benefits from the long term support of their label which is seen less and less frequently these days; but a policy that Manfred Eicher and ECM thankfully seem intent on maintaining.
