Shauli Einav – Opus One – Plus Loin PL4534, 63:21 [Distr. by Harmonia mundi] ****:
(Shauli Einav – tenor and soprano saxophone; Shai Maestro – electric and acoustic piano; Andy Hunter – trombone; Joseph Lepore – acoustic bass; Jonathan Blake – drums)
Jazz fans may not be talking about Israeli saxophonist Shauli Einav yet, but in time they will. Einav’s proper debut, Opus One, is quite an opening statement. The young Einav – he’s still under age 30 – showcases his performance ability (he’s a formidable horn player who has listened, and listened hard, to Parker, Mobley, Stitt and more), his compositional skills (he wrote eight of the nine tracks, which encompass bop influences to contemporary electronics) and his talent in blending traditional folk music with modern jazz.
Here’s a bit of bio: Einav was born in and initially studied jazz in Israel and was a protégé of the late music educator Arnie Lawrence; he earned a BA from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and a master’s degree from the Eastman School of Music; he moved to New York City in 2008 to begin his apprenticeship in local clubs. He assembled a self-produced CD mostly distributed in Israel but Einav considers Opus One his proper debut.
Einav made a persuasive impression in jazz spots but on Opus One he provides a stronger impact due to his convincing presentation, his tunes and his sympathetic quintet, which includes bassist Joseph Lepore (an Einav friend whose credits involve Rosario Giuliani and Greg Osby), pianist Shai Maestro (a long-time Israeli acquaintance), trombonist Andy Hunter (who has been part of Dave Holland’s Big Band and the Toshiko Akiyoshi/Lew Tabackin Big Band, among others) and in-demand drummer Jonathan Blake (Oliver Lake, Tom Harrell and Ronnie Cuber are only a handful of musicians he has recorded with).
The 63-minute album is a mostly boisterous affair heightened by Einav’s aggressive horn, a constant swing and urgent melodies. The openers, “Jerusalem Theme” and “Kavana,” illustrate Einav’s exploration of jazz history as well as Israeli-specific details. “Jerusalem Theme” is a piece written in four but has a 6/8 feel which captures the complications characteristic of the Israeli capital: the spirited engagement between trombone and saxophone suggest the city’s intense conditions, while Maestro’s sharp solo on an electric Nord keyboard conjures up a metropolitan mannerism. The second tune is even more animated and has a sense of determination. The title, “Kavana,” is a Jewish word with a variety of connotations, but which commonly implies not only concentration but meaning and intention in expressing a thought, idea or whatever a person wants to communicate. In this case, Einav articulates his feelings for his old teacher, Lawrence, who taught Einav what is truly important in music.
The standout is the love ballad, “Naama,” a beautiful sketch of Einav’s betrothed, Na’ama. The elegant arrangement features Einav’s deeply absorbed tenor sax highlighted by his breathy vibrato, Blake’s sensitive brushwork, Maestro’s burnished acoustic piano and Hunter’s soulful trombone solo, the cut’s only unwritten improvisation.
Another first-rate effort is Einav’s reharmonized translation of the 1940s Israeli standard “Hayu Leilot,” with a lengthy through-composed arrangement that interestingly nods to British alternative dance act Jamiroquai, in terms of both sound and rhythm. The closer “Coda” is also intriguing since it contains three independent lines for trombone, tenor sax and bass with Einav’s overdubbed soprano sax adding another instrumental voice to the brief fugue.
TrackList:
1. Jerusalem Theme
2. Kavana
3. Naama
4. The Damelin
5. Hayu Leilot
6. Interlude
7. New Era Ballad
8. Shavuot
9. Coda
— Doug Simpson
