Avishai Cohen: A Jazz Bassist for the 21st Century

Avishai Cohen is a genre-bending player, composer, and collaborator. Born in Israel in 1970, he has emerged as one of the most important bassists in contemporary jazz.

Cohen began his musical journey on the piano at age nine, but switched to the bass guitar at 14. He moved to New York City in 1992 to study at The New School and it was there that he met pianist Chick Corea, who would become a mentor and future collaborator.

Cohen's breakthrough came with his 1998 album Adama, which showcased his ability to blend jazz with Middle Eastern and Mediterranean influences. His 2008 album Gently Disturbed established him as a unique voice on the jazz bass and features his longtime trio with pianist Shai Maestro and drummer Mark Guiliana (later the drummer on David Bowie's final album, ★). 

Cohen's bass playing is characterized by his use of extended techniques, such as double stops, harmonics, and slapping. He often employs a pick to achieve a more percussive attack, allowing him to cut through dense harmonic textures and assert the bass as a lead voice. His impressive fingerstyle technique enables him to execute rapid, intricate lines with precision and clarity. Cohen's use of ostinatos and pedal points creates a solid foundation for his bandmates to build upon, while his melodic soloing in the instrument's upper register adds even more to his sonic palette.

One of Cohen's great strengths is his ability to incorporate a wide range of players, influences and styles into his music. His 2012 album Duende is a selfless duo project with emerging pianist Nitai Hershkovits, while 2017's 1970integrates more sources than any one record should be able to. 2019's Arvoles, runs the gamut from classical to Afro-Cuban rhythm to a masterclass in modern bop.

Like Scott LaFaro before him, Cohen is known for his interactive approach to bass playing, constantly engaging in musical dialogue with his bandmates. He shares LaFaro's penchant for using the entire range of the instrument and his ability to create complex, contrapuntal lines that complement and challenge the lead melody. Cohen also draws inspiration from Charlie Haden's deep, resonant tone and his ability to anchor a band with minimal, yet highly effective, playing. Like Christian McBride, Cohen is adept at blending various musical styles, from straight-ahead jazz to funk and world music, creating a unique and recognizable voice on his instrument.

Cohen's genre-fluid approach and incorporation of global influences have opened a lane for a new generation of bassists, like Linda May Han Oh and Thundercat, to expand their musical palettes and explore unconventional techniques. Cohen's work as a bandleader and composer has contributed to the growing trend of bassist-led ensembles in jazz (think: Michael League and Snarky Puppy), challenging the traditional hierarchy of instruments and showcasing the bass as a vital source of creativity and leadership. 

Cohen's curiosity and openness is evident in his 2022 album Two Roses, a collaboration between his trio and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Hanson, that explores the intersections between jazz and classical, the best Western music has to offer. It is Cohen's versatility and musical vision that allow him to move so seamlessly between different styles and contexts.

Avishai Cohen is an innovator, able to move between exotic rhythms, the outer reaches of harmony, and deep bottom grooves, and while Gently Disturbed and Arvoles are the generally-accepted essential starting points in Cohen's discography, this playlist more broadly explores his work at the intersection of tradition and innovation, technique and soul. These selections showcase his range as a bassist, composer, and bandleader.