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Asaf Sirkis

Born in 1969 in Petah-Tikva, Israel, Asaf later moved to the town of Rehovot, where he spent his teens and early twenties. This was an influential move for Asaf, as it was here amongst the diverse cultural influences he found in Rehovot that Asaf began to show an interest in music and rhythm. In Rehovot he lived amongst people from North Africa, east and central Europe, and the Middle East. Living in Shaarayim, the Yemenite neighbourhood in Rehovot, Asaf was particularly drawn to Yemenite culture, music, and rhythms.

At the age of 12 Asaf began drum lessons, while also having a strong interest in playing electric bass. The music that influenced Asaf at the time still influences his writing and playing till this day; The Beatles, Police, Yes, Genesis, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Allan Holdsworth, and Weather Report to name a few.

1987 – 1990 Asaf did his compulsory national service. Out of the army in 1990, Asaf started his professional career as a musician playing with many different young Jazz-Rock, Kleizmer, world music, and Free Jazz bands. During that time he co-operated with Israel’s local Jazz/world luminaries such as Harold Rubin, Albert Beger, Yair Dlal and Eyal Sela. Many of those early projects where recorded and released by a pioneer Jazz record label in Israel called Jazzis (founded by Adam Baruch). Around those years Asaf started to write music but it wasn’t until 1995 when he formed his first trio that he found an outlet for his writing.

In 1993 moved to Tel-Aviv. While making his living playing mainly Jewish music Asaf continued to develop his own voice as a drummer and composer until, in 1995, formed his own trio (featuring Kobi Arad on Keyboards and Gabriel Mayer on Bass) and recorded his first solo album ‘One Step Closer’ (independent). In 1996, Inspired by French Church Organ composers such as Olivier Messiaen, Maurice Durufle’ and Cesar Frank he formed a unique new band ‘The Inner Noise’ consisting of Church Organ, Electric Guitar and Drums (with Adi Goldstein on Organ and Amir Perelman on Guitar). The Inner Noise’s first project was commissioned by the Tel-Aviv City Council and was performed around Israel in 1997-8.

In October 1998 Asaf left Israel to Europe and eventually settled in London in April 1999. He soon become part of the UK Jazz and world music scene, and started working with Adel Salameh, a Palestinian aud player/composer with whom he recorded the album ‘Nuzha’ which featured Asaf’s Middle Eastern frame drum playing. Soon after arriving in the UK Asaf re-formed the Inner Noise band with Steve Lodder (Church Organ) and Mike Outram (Guitar).

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2
Album Review

Emma Rawicz: Chroma

Read "Chroma" reviewed by Tom Spargo


There are only so many times that one can use phrases such as “emerging talent" or “upcoming star" before one must concede that the artist in question has in fact made it into the major league of jazz. With the August 2023 release of her second full-length album Chroma on the label ACT, this is precisely the point that tenor saxophonist Emma Rawicz has reached in her career. Building upon her successes from 2022, which involved featuring as a finalist ...

10
Liner Notes

Dwiki Dharmawan: Pasar Klewer

Read "Dwiki Dharmawan: Pasar Klewer" reviewed by John Kelman


Indonesian keyboard star Dwiki Dharmawan returns following his 2015 MoonJune Records debut, the more fusion-heavy So Far, So Close, with the even more ambitious Pasar Klewer. This vibrant, acoustic piano-driven two-CD set features the cream of Britain's younger expat crop, blending with Indonesian musicians to create a passionate, seamless cultural cross-pollination. Bassist Yaron Stavi and drummer/percussionist Asaf Sirkis form the core trio with Dharmawan, while reed multi-instrumentalist Gilad Atzmon, Gamelan musical virtuoso Aris Daryono and guitarists Nicolas Meier ...

2
Radio & Podcasts

Asaf Sirkis, Spherical Agenda, Shawn Glide, Nguyen Le, Karim Ziad

Read "Asaf Sirkis, Spherical Agenda, Shawn Glide, Nguyen Le, Karim Ziad" reviewed by Len Davis


New music from Asaf Sirkis of his release Solar Flash featuring Gary Husband. From Ohio, Spherical Agenda with their new single “Guts" from their upcoming album Arcane Wisdom and some obscure music from Turkey and the UK. A special feature, Ethnic Embraces to highlight a series on All About Jazz written by Mike Jacobs called BackTracks. Playlist Asaf Sirkis “Kinship" fromSolar Flash Moonjune) 00:00 Asaf Sirkis “Aquila" from Solar Flash (Moonjune) 06:23 Spherical Agenda “Guts" from Arcane Wisdom ...

5
Album Review

Dwiki Dharmawan: Hari Ketiga

Read "Hari Ketiga" reviewed by Dan McClenaghan


Hari Ketiga is presented as a logbook of a voyage from the Earth to the moon, and beyond, to contact with music from distant planetary systems—a sprawling outer space improv opera as dense and difficult to fathom as Frank Herbert's first three Dune novels, or Samuel Delany's Dhalgren. It began simply enough: Leonardo Pavkovic assembled a group of musicians that included Indonesian pianist Dwiki Dharmawan and three mainstays from from his Moonjune Records roster—vocalist Boris Savoldelli, Touch Guitar ...

11
Album Review

Tim Garland: ReFocus

Read "ReFocus" reviewed by Ian Patterson


Strings and Tim Garland have always resonated well together. A leading figure of British jazz since the early 2000s, Garland emerged from a classical background, having studied classical composition at the Guildhall School of Music. His dual idioms have converged persuasively on albums such as If The Sea Replied (Sirocco Music Limited, 2005), Libra (Global Mix, 2009), Songs To The North Sky (Edition Records, 2014) and Weather Walker (Edition Records, 2018), with anything from chamber ensembles to full-blown orchestras shaping ...

4
Album Review

Markus Reuter: The Truce

Read "The Truce" reviewed by Chris M. Slawecki


Markus Reuter's first steps into music were as a pianist. But then Reuter learned to play the Chapman Stick, studied in Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft, and mastered the digital U8 Touch Guitar. The freedom of these electronic sound palettes, combined with his genuine guitar virtuosity and piano background, all give Reuter's guitar playing structure and vision that are truly amazing. Reuter is also a linchpin of the experimental trio Stick Men (along with Chapman Stick master Tony Levin) and served ...

5
Album Review

Yuri Goloubev: Two Chevrons Apart

Read "Two Chevrons Apart" reviewed by Ian Patterson


In recent years double bassist Yuri Goloubev has lent his rich sound to multiple projects, including the co-led Duonomics (Caligola, 2018) with Michele Di Toro. It was 2011's Titanic for a Bike (Caligola), however, that marked Goloubev's last recording as outright leader. This welcome return—his headlining debut on Basho Records—sees him align with frequent musical partners Asaf Sirkis and Tim Garland, and new collaborator John Turville, on a finely crafted set of originals written and arranged by the Russian.

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Recording

Eyal Maoz - Asaf Sirkis Duet: "Elementary Dialogues" (Ayler Records)

Eyal Maoz - Asaf Sirkis Duet: "Elementary Dialogues" (Ayler Records)

Source: All About Jazz

Liner notes by Lukas Ligeti: Eyal Maoz and Asaf Sirkis share a long history of collaboration. Beginning at school in their hometown of Rehovot, Israel, their friendship and musical association continued through numerous bands in Israel and has persevered despite the fact that they eventually both emigrated and now live on different sides of the Atlantic, becoming mainstays of the creative music scenes of London (Sirkis) and New York (Maoz). Individually, Maoz leads a number of bands in New York, ...

94

Interview

Drummer/Composer Asaf Sirkis Interviewed at AAJ....And More

Drummer/Composer Asaf Sirkis Interviewed at AAJ....And More

Source: All About Jazz

Since arriving in London from Israel at the end of the end of the '90s, Asaf Sirkis has earned a reputation as one of the world's premier drummers. His scintillating stick work has sparked saxophonist Gilad Atzmon's Orient House Ensemble since its inception, as well as coloring the projects of saxophonist Tim Garland in recent years.

Yet this sensitive, cerebral drummer, who has drawn favorable comparison to legends Tony Williams and Jack DeJohnette, is not easy to pigeonhole. His own ...

...“Devastatingly creative” John Fordham, The Guardian 2008

“Sirkis is not only an inventive drummer but also a composer of rigour, wit and surprising delicacy” Chris Ingham, Mojo Magazine, October 2008

“Since arriving in London from Israel at the end of the end of the '90s, Asaf Sirkis has earned a reputation as one of the world's premier drummers” Ian Patterson, All About Jazz, September 2008

“Asaf Sirkis, the world class drum phenomenon reminiscent of Jack DeJohnette and Tony Williams at the height of their powers that's taken the British scene by storm over the last few years”... Renaissance man 2004

Primary Instrument

Drums

Location

London

Clinic/Workshop Information

Occasional Clinics in the UK and Europe

Photos

Concerts

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Chroma

ACT Music
2023

buy

Solitude

Anelia Records
2021

buy

Truce

MoonJune Records
2020

buy

Two Chevrons Apart

Basho Records
2020

buy

The Truce

MoonJune Records
2020

buy

Nothing is Sacred

MoonJune Records
2020

buy

Solitude

From: Solitude
By Asaf Sirkis

Pasar Klewer

From: Pasar Klewer
By Asaf Sirkis

The Quest

From: Archipelagos
By Asaf Sirkis

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