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Gilad Atzmon

Gilad Atzmon was born in Israel in 1963 and had his musical training at the Rubin Academy of Music, Jerusalem (Composition and Jazz) A multi-instrumentalist he plays Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Baritone Saxes, Clarinet, Sol, Zurna and Flutes.

Until 1994 he was a producer-arranger for various Israeli Dance & Rock Projects, performing in Europe and the USA playing ethnic Jewish soul music. Highly involved in the Israeli musical scene he recorded for 'Ofra Haza' , Yeuda Poliker and many others. He also toured with Memphis Slim and supporting many international jazz names such as Jack De Johnette, Michel Petrucciani, Richie Byrach and many others.

Coming to the UK in 1994, Atzmon recovered an interest in playing the music of the Middle East, North Africa and Eastern Europe that had been in the back of his mind for years. He founded the Orient House Ensemble in London and started re-defining his own roots in the light of political reality. Since then the Orient House Ensemble has toured all over the world.

Also a prolific and often controversial writer, Atzmon's essays are widely published his novel 'Guide to the perplexed' and 'My One And Only Love' have been translated into 24 languages all together.

Over the years Gilad Atzmon's music has moved more and more towards a cultural hybrid. As a bandleader and reed player he has been amazing his listeners with his powerful personal style that combines great bebop artistry and Middle-Eastern roots in a sophisticated, sometimes ironical manner. Influenced by Coltranes powerful approach on the sax, Gilad's live performances are simply breathtaking and overwhelming.

As a member of the Blockheads, Gilad has also recorded and performed with such as Ian Dury, Robbie Williams, Sinead O'Connor and Paul McCartney.

Gilad Recorded as well with Robert Wyatt, the Waters Boys and many others.

The Orient House Ensemble includes Eddie Hick on Drums, Yaron Stavi on Bass and Frank Harrison on keys.

Gear

Soprano: Make- Yanagisawa Mouthpiece- Morgan Fry, FLZ Soprano in a .063" tip Reeds-Rico 2.5 Alto: Make-Selmer Refernce 54 Mouthpiece - Morgan Fry, NYZ Alto in a .073" tip Reeds-Marca Jazz Tenor: Make-Selmer Paris Mark VI Mouthpiece - Morgan Fry, Floridated Link in a .092" tip Reeds-Marca Jazz 3 Bari: Make- Selmer Paris, Balanced Action Mouthpiece-Beechller 8 Reeds-Rico 2.5 Clarinet: Make-Buffet Crampon Mouthpiece Vandoren B45 Reeds-Rico 2.5 and Harry Hartmann's Fiberreed


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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 ...

18
Album Review

Talinka: Rainbow Over Kolonaki

Read "Rainbow Over Kolonaki" reviewed by Glenn Astarita


These four UK-based artists produce an all-inclusive world view, interlaced with time-honored standards, jazz, ethnocentric frontiers and conventional wisdom amid a music without borders mindset, enhanced by Tali Azmon's full-bodied sultry vocals and emotive output characterized by Billie Holliday and other great jazz divas. In addition to her blustery choruses, she also augments the set by playing the ukulele while often intimating that she lives and breathes the stories of each song. This internationally recognized band garners support ...

3
Live Review

Gilad Atzmon And The Orient House Ensemble at The Vortex Jazz Club

Read "Gilad Atzmon And The Orient House Ensemble at The Vortex Jazz Club" reviewed by James Fleming


Gilad Atzmon And The Orient House Ensemble Vortex Jazz Club London March 23, 2018 The show was not called “The Music Of Trane," nor even “The Compositions Of Trane," but rather “The Spirit Of Trane." John Coltrane's soul has transcended this earthly realm and ascended beyond even our farthest reach. His spirit though, of adventurism and creativity and individuality, can still be invoked. And on a Friday night in London's North East, ...

4
Album Review

Gilad Atzmon: The Spirit Of Trane

Read "The Spirit Of Trane" reviewed by Roger Farbey


Duke Ellington's exquisite “In A Sentimental Mood," the first track on their memorable team-up album for Impulse! is here given a luscious treatment with the subtle addition of strings. “Invitation," the Coltrane version of which was found on Standard Coltrane a 1962 Prestige release but actually recorded in 1958. Like that version it's given a slow ballad treatment with Atzmon on sultry tenor augmented by the string quartet. Atzmon's lone composition is the modal “Minor Thing" very much ...

11
Album Review

Dwiki Dharmawan: Pasar Klewer

Read "Pasar Klewer" reviewed by Dave Wayne


Another day, another two- disc set. Or so it seems. Fortunately, one does not have to wade through Dwiki Dharmawan's Pasar Klewer. Despite some odd choices in track sequence one may even wonder ..."is that all?" after the second disc has finished its spin. Dharmawan is an Indonesian jazz pianist who, like so many of his countrymen, has found a rich vein of inspiration in the folk and ethnic musics of his native land. It's worth noting that Dharmawan is ...

4
Album Review

Gilad Atzmon And The Orient House Ensemble: The Whistle Blower

Read "The Whistle Blower" reviewed by Tyran Grillo


The Whistle Blower is the eighth album from saxophonist Gilad Atzmon and his Orient House Ensemble, but sounds as fresh as the first. As one of the most fearless improvisers of the UK jazz scene, Atzmon has always worn his politics loudly on his sleeve, and here the story of an Israeli Jew who left home in search of new identities rings truer than ever over the course of seven original tunes. The listener emerges from the other ends of ...

3
Album Review

Gilad Atzmon And The Orient House Ensemble: The Whistle Blower

Read "The Whistle Blower" reviewed by John Ephland


There's a soulful crying to much of this music that makes it so convincing, so enjoyable. It's blues music from someplace other than the Deep South. Starting with the first track, “Gaza Mon Amour," veteran multi-instrumentalist Gilad Atzmon somehow manages to invoke the spirit of John Coltrane (think “A Love Supreme"), along with a kind of tantalizing ethnic, Israeli vibe that conjoins East with West. The Whistle Blower is an intoxicating blend of romanticism with an edge that somehow bespeaks ...

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2

Advocacy

I Give You Give - Using Music To Fundraise For A Charity

I Give You Give - Using Music To Fundraise For A Charity

Source: All About Jazz

I Give You Give is a new website designed by musicians for musicians. It has been developed by drum and bass artist Foreign Concept to make it as easy as possible for artists to gift a track to a charity or a cause and ask fans to donate to download. I Give You Give do not take a cut or charge any fees so all the donated money goes to the charity. UK saxophonist Gilad Atzmon is the first jazz ...

40

Interview

Gilad Atzmon interview - "Free as Bird"

Gilad Atzmon interview -  "Free as Bird"

Source: underyourskin


118

Music Industry

Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble, Refuge

Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble, Refuge

Source: Jazz on 3 - BBC Radio 3


A formidable improvisational array...a local jazz giant steadily drawing himself up to his full height..."-John Fordham, The Guardian

“…Atzmon is an astonishing musician.” John Lewis, Metro, September 07

"Atzmon is surely the hardest-gigging man in British jazz..." The Times

"Atzmon is a loose cannon: a larger than life figure with an almost overpowering musical personality... it's as perfect a jazz marriage as you could wish for" Phil Jonson, Independent on Sunday

“A revelation, a multi-reed man of enormous talent.”-Tony Richards Musician Magazine

“Atzmon sends his soprano sax and clarinet soaring over complex rhythms from all points of the globe with a poetry that never forfeits control.”- Nina Caplan, Metro

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Photos

Music

Recordings: As Leader | As Sideperson

Rainbow Over Kolonaki

MoonJune Records
2020

buy

The Spirit Of Trane

Fanfare Jazz
2017

buy

Pasar Klewer

MoonJune Records
2017

buy

The Whistle Blower

Fanfare Jazz
2016

buy

The Whistle Blower

Fanfare Jazz
2015

buy

Songs Of The...

World Village
2013

buy

Pasar Klewer

From: Pasar Klewer
By Gilad Atzmon

And So Have We

From: The Tide Has Changed
By Gilad Atzmon

Spring in New York

From: Refuge
By Gilad Atzmon

Re-Arranging the 20th Century

From: Musik
By Gilad Atzmon

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