Superb bassist and composer extraordinaire, Avishai Cohen, performs evocative music from his latest and debut release on the EMI label, ‘Aurora,’ music that speaks of life, love, youth and freedom.

His quintet of virtuosi, Shai Maestro/piano, Karen Malka/voice, Amos Hoffman/oud, Itmar Doari/percussion and Avishai Cohen on acoustic and electric basses and vocals synthesizes extradorniary musicianship with emotive singing in Hebrew, English, Spanish, and Ladino and reaches beyond jazz to include musical modes from many places in the world.

‘This new album imposes a grace beyond jazz, this grace has something to do with antique eastern musics, flamenco, folk and pop music, a bright blend distilled with mastery.” - Le Journal du Dimanche

"…a transcendent example of the capacity of music...to reach beyond geographical and political boundaries" - Don Heckman, The Los Angeles Times

"...one of the best double-bassists in the world.” - Kerstan Mackness, Time Out London

"Avishai Cohen builds a directory, makes a recording, creates a sound and puts up a universe like no other." JAZZMAN - France.

"A pure and bright album, which has the beauty of a beginning."
LES INROCKUPTIBLES – France

“Avishai Cohen sings on his best album, which should touch every person with open ears." VIBRATIONS – France

"An album that could play an entire lifetime. Catchy and timeless melodies." L'EXPRESS - France

“Creates a refined, evolving oeuvre, singular and distinctive. His medium-bodied, textured vocals convey deep feeling and dark mystery” - Chris Ingham, Mojo Magazine – June 2009

"The Israeli bass player has earlier received appreciation for his good mix of jazz and ladino music. The taste from the Middle East is here, with oud as one of the most important instruments and Cohen himself sings in Hebrew in most of the songs. This is more evident than in Cohen's earlier albums and it is only an advantage." - Peter Bornemar, Eskilstunakuriren, April 22, 2009