Avishai Cohen
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Avishai Cohen in Bass Player Magazine
Avishai Cohen features in the latest July issue of Bass Player Magazine.
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Avishai Cohen speaks as a citizen of the world. He’s a street-wise player, born in Israel and raised in St. Louis, MO who learned to hold his own in Greenwich Village jazz clubs and Latin joints in the Bronx. In 1996, his brash and confident playing style landed him one of the most coveted gigs in jazz—the bass chair with Chick Corea. Since leaving Corea’s band in 2003, Cohen has consistently danced on the bridge between contemporary jazz and world music.
Cohen is a quadruple-threat: singing, playing electric bass, double bass, and piano. His unique style is plainly evident in his composing and on all of the instruments he plays. Says Cohen, “I was always drawn to the essence of music-making regardless of instrument. I want to know as much as I can about what’s behind the language.”
The Roots
Cohen’s early biography reads like many others. He first played piano, learned classical music, and eventually took up electric bass. “I found myself at age 14 in St. Louis,” says Cohen. “I had a jazz piano teacher named Lloyd Bartlett. He was totally into stride piano; Oscar Peterson and beyond.”
Cohen played piano in his high school jazz band and at the same time began to explore the electric bass. Says Cohen, “I was listening to a lot of English rock, and that made me curious about the bass. Everyone plays guitar and piano is piano, but electric bass seemed pretty cool to me. I started studying with a great bass player and teacher, Jay Hungerford, who Lloyd recommended to me. Jay played Jaco Pastorius for me, and Jaco’s thing took me by storm and changed my life.”
Jay Hungerford, author of Walking Jazz Lines for Bass [walkingjazzlinesforbass.com], says “I could tell from the first few lessons that Avishai was serious about his music. One of the many things that impressed me about him was the twinkle in his eyes and a look of determination when he showed up for a lesson. He was always prepared and ready to move on.”
The Challenge
Jaco’s influence on countless bassists is legendary, but not many accept the challenge and actually learn everything that Jaco left behind. Jaco was a c
(22nd June 2010)
