Bassist Omer Avital is one of the most striking musicians from Israel. The musician, who has lived in New York since 1992, is partly responsible for putting his native country on the jazz map. Critics from Downbeat and The New York Times have high praise for the classically trained virtuoso bass player; he has even been called the Israeli Charles Mingus. Avital is a visionary who combines music from his cultural background with modern Western jazz. This makes for an atmospheric sound with contagious Middle-Eastern grooves, subtle jazz melodies and orchestral arrangements of Sephardic compositions. With his latest album, New Song, Avital follows up on the highly acclaimed Suite Of The East from 2012. Again an impressive album, where two cultures joyfully meet in multiple colors and rhythms, and Eastern melodies breathe the passion of gospel and soul. With his extraordinary vision, Avital can rightly be called one of the most unique musicians of his generation.
