Doc's Jazz Music Reviews

I bought this album recently while picking up a hard copy of Keith Jarrett’s, “Music of the Night. This was a spur of the moment purchase and it has turned into a pleasant surprise. The music doesn’t grab you but when you listen to it a couple times you appreciate it more and more. Anat is a very sensitive player and her compositions are top rate. She wrote “The 7th of March”, in memory of a friend who was killed serving in the Israeli army.

I included the second amazon review below to illustrate the fact that you will either love or hate this music. I for one think that Anat Cohen is a major talent and I heartily recommend her music. I am ordering a cd she did with her two brothers who are also musicians – I think it is called Braid. Take a look at the clip and make up your own mind.


Amazon Reviews

I have been reading a lot about Ms. Cohen. She seems to have been making some history recently: she is the only female horn player (and the only Israeli) ever to headline at the Village Vanguard. She is the only person ever to get citations in 5 categories in the annual Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll (2007).

She is the only woman ever chosen as "Up and coming jazz musician" of the year by the global Jazz Journalists Association...and the only person ever to get the aformentioned nod and win a best instrumentalist category (clarinet in her case). Then...there are feature articles about her in places like the Washington Post. She's playing at the Newport Jazz festival this year. All the foregoing struck me as a lot of smoke...for there not to be any fire. So I bought her three albums as a leader and the Waverly Seven (of which she is a member) album "YO! BOBBY". Now.. I understand the kudos. She is an extraordinary musician. She has a warm, solid tone on all 5 of her instruments. Her improvising is extraordinarily creative yet artfully restrained....as opposed to what I hear from the legions of Brecker, Potter, Coltrane would be clones out there. Her original compositions have something to say. I love her taste in cover tunes. I get it.

By Earscape

This music is what would pass for "jazz" today, better known as "light jazz." I say, it has no "balls." The jazz I know, with roots in bebop, is much more vital, and hardly played today live. I don't see what the fuss is about, if there is any, unless it is the attempt of the record companies to promote a woman. No problem with women jazz players. They are around, but please, record companies, don't just try to promote the person. Wait until the music is ready. And don't call it jazz. Jazz, as such, is kinda dead. The best stuff is reissues.

By John P Perhonis

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