Uri Gurvich

Born and raised in Israel, Uri began playing the Saxophone at age of 11. He was a member of the Israeli Air Force Big Band and the Tel Aviv Jazz Orchestra, and at 19, he won the prestigious Jazz Player of the year competition in Israel, leading him to represent his country in the IASJ convention. In 2002 Uri was selected to represent Israel in the European Youth Jazz Orchestra. Additionally, he is a member of the United Nations Youth Big Band. After his army service, Uri received a scholarship and relocated to Boston to attend the prestigious Berklee College of Music. Uri graduated with honors and moved to New York City, where he currently resides. Over the past few years, Uri has performed in major international jazz festivals in the U.S., Europe and Japan, and has shared the stage with Joe Lovano, Dave Liebman, New York Voices, Django Bates, Esperansa Spalding, Francisco Mela and many more. Uri’s debut album, “The Storyteller”, featuring Chris Cheek and rising star drummer Francisco Mela, is available through New York based label, Tzadik Records.

Album Reviews

Kinship by Luca Casarotti
Kinship by Dan Bilawsky
BabEl by Mark Corroto
The Storyteller by Andrey Henkin

September 22, 2008

Kneebody + the Suite Unraveling + Uri Gurvich 4tet at Public Assembly...

“The Storyteller, on John Zorn's Tzadik label, is his debut album as a leader, and a very natural place for him to begin because it has become a true hotbed for developing as well as established talent, and Gurvich is both: a new name on the scene perhaps, but an artist who arrives fully developed in his roles as bandleader, soloist, and most importantly as a composer. The Storyteller is a wondrous recording. It showcases Gurvich's deep love of progressive jazz as it weds itself to his knowledge and deep respect for the folk music traditions of Israel, Yemen, North Africa, and Eastern Europe… The Storyteller is a brilliantly auspicious debut by a major new voice in jazz. Anyone interested in the form as either a student of its history or a cheerleader for its burgeoning future would do well to pay close attention to both the record and its creator