Born: June 11, 1969 Primary Instrument: Saxophone
Assif Tsahar (born Israel, June 11, 1969) is an Israeli tenor saxophonist and bass clarinetist. He has lived in New York City since 1990.
He has performed with Cecil Taylor, Butch Morris, William Parker, Mat Maneri, Hamid Drake, Peter Kowald, Susie Ibarra, Rashied Ali, Warren Smith, Wilbur Morris, Le Quan Ninh, John Tchicai, Fred Anderson, Rob Brown, Roy Campbell, Gerald Cleaver, Agusti Fernandez, Ken Vandermark, Kent Kessler, Joe Daley, Herb Robertson, Cuong Vu, Chris Jonas, Ori Kaplan, Oscar Noriega, Alex Harding, Steve Swell, Cooper-Moore, and Tom Abbs
In 1999 he founded Hopscotch Records.
“This recording (the Hollow World) extends Tsahar's responsibility for some of the most exciting improvised music currently being created” (Signal to Noise)
”The Aylerian tenor can speak in tongues as articulately as anyone can these days- it's a thrill when abstraction is truly compelling “ (Village Voice)
”Few young jazz players generate the kind of buzz among New York cognoscenti that tenor saxophonist Assif Tsahar, have over the past couple of years. ...through shifts in register and tonal quality, Tsahar has a knack for creating the illusion that he is playing more than one instrument- This is some of the least dense and frenetic free jazz to come out of New York, and some of the most emotionally affecting. “ (Jazziz)
”(Assif Tsahar) ... spring forth with a potent, fully formed style that marks him as an important new voice on his instrument. It's is always a revelation to find avant-gaurdists worth hearing even in their quiet moments. “ (Music hound Jazz - the essential music guide)
”...Saxophonist Assif Tsahar is one of the most dynamic young players in jazz...this is a galvanizing listen from start to finish”
(CMJ magazine)
