An absorbing virtuoso - Music - Arts - Evening Standard
       

An absorbing virtuoso

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Absorbing music poured forth last night from an acoustic trio with taste, creativity and a beat as powerful as anything a slammin' DJ could dredge from his aluminium suitcase. Based in New York, their leader is a double-bass virtuoso as fascinating to watch as to hear. Without hogging the limelight, Avishai Cohen ushered his US drummer Mark Giuliana and fellow Israeli pianist Shai Maestro ("a tough name to live up to, but he does it every night") into a world of pinsharp three-way byplay.

Elli, One for Mark and Arava were tuneful originals that the trio bounced around the bandstand with the grace and space of basketball champions. When things really took flight, the bassman closed his eyes, hunched his shoulders and clambered all over his instrument in physical abandon. Suddenly I understood why my daughter owns all his albums.

She'll be glad that his latest, As Is/Live at the Blue Note (RazDaz Records), comes with a companion DVD. Hopefully it features one of those moments, as on Ever-Evolving Etude, when he accompanies tight arpeggios with sharp slaps on the shoulder of the bass, thus sounding like a bassist and drummer playing simultaneously. Four stars? Hell, yes.

Ends tomorrow. Information: 020 7439 0747.

Avishai Cohen, The Ronnie Scotts All Stars
Ronnie Scott's
Frith Street, W1D 4HT

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