Amos Hoffman is one of the most accomplished guitar players on the small Israeli jazz scene, and has also played the oud since he was eight. Brief
snippets of his oud playing have previously been heard on the recordings of Israeli bass player Avishai Cohen and the 3 Cohens.
Hoffman began to study the oud while living in New York alongside Lebanese teacher Bassam Saba, an associate of Palestinian player Simon Shaeen.
Na'ama, named after Hoffman's daughter, is his second solo release after The Dreamer (Fresh Sound, 1999), and is built on original compositions, most
of them referencing traditional Arabic maqams or scales.
Unlike Youssef, Hoffman doesn't try to discover new musical territory, but still, his unassuming and straightforward playing finds new colors in the
oud. The tender accompaniment of bass player Omer Avital and percussionist Rea Bar Nes, the latter especially while playing the marimba, offers
Hoffman great flexibility. On the captivating ”Na'ama,” Hoffman and Bar Nes improvise on a simple lullaby melody, while on “Longa Abu Musa”
they stretch the traditional form of the longa into a swift run of solos.
The twelve short tracks on Na'ama don't deviate to a significant degree from traditional oud playing or tune structures, but they showcase a highly
gifted player, who successfully combines his Western musical education with one of his homeland's musical traditions.
Tracks and Personnel
Na'ama
Tracks: Third King; Takasim Nahawand; Samai Nahawand; Kiryat HaYovel; Na'ama; Takasim Higas; Takasim Rast; Samai Siga; Longa Abu Musa; Takasim Rayat;
Shargia; Lonely Sands.
hi zalzal, it seems very interessant, thank you.
i am a big fan of jazz, i discovered amos in avishai cohen last album "continuo", i enjoyed the music, i think that amos has a good rythmical playin
and feeling. i'll try to listen this cd.
thanks
amineIznogoud - 2-26-2007 at 02:07 PM
Quote:
Originally posted by amine2i am a big fan of jazz, i discovered amos in avishai cohen last album "continuo",
Same thing here. I'm a huge fan of Avishai's music, Amos' playing on his records is beautiful. Any other Hoffman records you could recommend?zalzal - 2-26-2007 at 02:42 PM
I think but am not sure that Amos Hoffman plays regularly with Avishai Cohen. See here some of AC's others cds with the probable collaboration of Amos
Hoffman
Continuo 2006
zalzal - 2-26-2007 at 02:44 PM
Which Amine2 mentioned
Lyla
zalzal - 2-26-2007 at 02:47 PM
Iznogoud - 2-27-2007 at 12:47 AM
Yeah, I have both Adama and Continuo. Lyla I have to check out.
I actually meant Amos Hoffman's solo records or excursions outside Avishai, any suggestions on those?Microber - 2-27-2007 at 02:30 AM
Well my first post it is not me who wrote it. It is a press release i found on the web. But i do not know why i did not paste the link. I usually do
it.
I believe, if my memories are good, that the rest of the press release mentioned that it was first incursion on solo by Amos Hoffman....(to be
confirmed).
Microber, thank you for the Sam Newsome advise. I heard some excerpts and it sounds really really great.amine2 - 3-1-2007 at 02:47 AM
i have already avishai cohen's lyla and there is no oud in this record. i don't know abaout adama, cause i don't have it.
i don't think they play together in concerts, AC performs concerts only with his trio (double bass, piano, drums).zalzal - 3-4-2007 at 11:53 AM
Replying to Iznogoud; Amos Hoffman has a myspace site where it is said
.....In 1998, he recorded his first solo ablum The Dreamer for the Spanish Label, Fresh Sound/New Talent. He has also contributed to numerous other
projects, including Ben Wolfe's 13 Sketches, 1997, Jay Collins' Cross Culture,1999, Sam Newsome 1999 and bassist Avishai Cohen's Continuo, 2006,
Colors 2000 Devotion, 1999 and Adama, 1998.
After returning home to Israel at the end of 1999, he began to compose the music that would eventually become the tracks on Na'ama, 2006 his most
recent work.
Not completely content to simply play his instruments, he's also taught himself to build them. To date, he has built 3 ouds, including the one he
plays on Na'ama. "
But in his first record The DREAMER HE PLAYED GUITAR NOT OUD;;;
