Avishai Cohen

Biography

Avishai Cohen, born on April 20, 1970, in Kabri, Israel (a kibbutz in Northern Israel), grew up in a multicultural family with roots in Spain, Greece, and Poland. He began playing piano at age nine, switched to bass guitar at 14 after moving briefly to St. Louis, Missouri, where he was introduced to Jaco Pastorius and Chick Corea's Return to Forever, and later focused on upright bass at the Music and Arts Academy in Jerusalem following his return to Israel. After serving two years in an army band, he moved to New York City at age 22 in 1992, studying at The New School, performing on streets and in construction to survive, and playing with Danilo Perez’s Trio.

Cohen's breakthrough came in 1997 when Chick Corea, after hearing a demo tape, invited him to join his ensembles, including Origin and the New Trio, for over six years, releasing his first four albums on Corea's Stretch Records label and blending jazz with Mediterranean, Latin, and Middle Eastern influences. His 1998 debut Adama showcased his innovative bass style, followed by albums like Gently Disturbed (2008) with pianist Shai Maestro and drummer Mark Guiliana, Continuo (2006), and As Is…Live at the Blue Note (2007). In 2002, he founded Razdaz Recordz, establishing himself as a bandleader pushing the bass to the forefront of jazz.

Cohen's genre-bending style fuses jazz fusion with global elements, earning him the Miles Davis Award at the 2023 Montreal Jazz Festival. His legacy includes elevating the bass as a lead voice, extensive touring with trios and projects like Banda Iroko (debuting in 2024), and global acclaim as a composer, singer, and performer.

Fun Facts

• Performed on New York streets and worked construction jobs in early NYC years to support his music career.
• Received the Miles Davis Award at the 2023 Montreal Jazz Festival, joining an elite group of jazz icons.
• Founded his own label Razdaz Recordz in 2002 after early releases on Chick Corea's Stretch Records.
• Banda Iroko project, featuring Latin musicians from his early NYC days, toured extensively into 2024 with a residency at the Blue Note.

Associated Acts

• Avishai Cohen Trio - bass guitar, double bass, eponymous, original (2003–present)
• Orrin Evans Ortet
• The Chick Corea New Trio

Musical Connections

Mentors/Influences

• Chick Corea - Primary mentor who discovered him via demo tape and shaped his musicianship (Origin ensemble, New Trio; released first four albums on Stretch Records) [1997-2003]
• Jaco Pastorius - Stylistic influence introduced by teacher, inspiring switch to bass (Music of Return to Forever) [1984 (age 14)]

Key Collaborators

• Shai Maestro - Pianist in longtime trio (Gently Disturbed (2008)) [2000s]
• Mark Guiliana - Drummer in longtime trio (Gently Disturbed (2008)) [2000s]
• Danilo Perez - Performed in his Trio early in NYC career (Danilo Perez Trio) [1990s]

External Links

• Spotify
• MusicBrainz

Tags: #jazz, #jazz-and-blues, #post-bop