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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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Emma Rawicz: Chroma
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 ...
read moreDwiki Dharmawan: Pasar Klewer
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 ...
read moreAsaf Sirkis, Spherical Agenda, Shawn Glide, Nguyen Le, Karim Ziad
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 ...
read moreDwiki Dharmawan: Hari Ketiga
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 systemsa 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 rostervocalist Boris Savoldelli, Touch Guitar ...
read moreTim Garland: ReFocus
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 ...
read moreMarkus Reuter: The Truce
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 ...
read moreYuri Goloubev: Two Chevrons Apart
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 returnhis headlining debut on Basho Recordssees 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.
read moreEyal 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, ...
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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 ...
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“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
Music
Solitude
From: SolitudeBy Asaf Sirkis
Pasar Klewer
From: Pasar KlewerBy Asaf Sirkis
The Quest
From: ArchipelagosBy Asaf Sirkis