IMN : Updates for Anat Cohen

Live Stream of Anat Cohen Quartet at the Blue Note Milan

IMN

May 17th, 2013

Tune into ShowGo.tv tomorrow night and you can watch a live stream of the Anat Cohen Quartet’s set from the Blue Note Milano, 9pm local time (Milan, Italy). The live stream will be here

Confirmed Tourdates As Of May 17th, 2013

IMN

June 1st, 2013: Longwood Gardens Kennett Square, PA USA [Anat Cohen Quartet]
June 9th, 2013: DC Jazz Fest, Main Stage Washington, DC USA [Arturo O'Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra with special guest Steven Bernstein and Anat Cohen]
June 14th, 2013: Ravinia Festival Highland Park, IL USA [Tribute to Benny Goodman Celebrating the 75th Anniversary of his Ravinia Debu]
June 26th, 2013: Madison Square Park New York, NY USA [Anat Cohen Quartet]
July 12th, 2013: Yenisei Stage, North Sea Jazz Festival Rotterdam, Netherlands [Royal Conservatory & Codarts Big Band with Special Guest Anat Cohen ]
July 12th, 2013: Yenisei Stage, North Sea Jazz Festival Rotterdam, Netherlands [Anat Cohen Quartet]
July 13th, 2013: Istanbul Jazz Festival, Sakip Sabanci Museum Istanbul, Turkey [Anat Cohen Quartet ]
July 14th, 2013: Arezzo Jazz Festival Arezzo, ITALY [Anat Cohen Quartet]
July 16th, 2013: 92nd St. Y New York, NY USA [Fats Waller: A Handful of Keys with Special Guest Anat Cohen]
July 18th, 2013: Santo Domingo Jazz Fest Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic [Anat Quartet and Yotam Silberstein]
July 21st, 2013: Centrum Port Townsend , WA USA [Jazz Port Townsend Workshop]
July 22nd, 2013: Centrum Port Townsend , WA USA [Jazz Port Townsend Workshop]
July 23rd, 2013: Centrum Port Townsend , WA USA [Jazz Port Townsend Workshop]
July 24th, 2013: Centrum Port Townsend , WA USA [Jazz Port Townsend Workshop]
July 25th, 2013: Centrum Port Townsend , WA USA [Jazz Port Townsend Workshop]
July 26th, 2013: Centrum Port Townsend , WA USA [Jazz Port Townsend Workshop]
July 27th, 2013: Centrum Port Townsend , WA USA [Jazz Port Townsend Workshop]
July 28th, 2013: Centrum Port Townsend , WA USA [Jazz Port Townsend Workshop]
August 3rd, 2013: Newport Jazz Festival Newport, RI USA [Bill Charlap Trio with Special Guest Anat Cohen]
September 20th, 2013: Ibirapuera Audiorium Sao Paulo, Brazil [Anat Cohen with Orquestra Jazz Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo]
September 21st, 2013: Ibirapuera Audiorium Sao Paulo, Brazil [Anat Cohen with Orquestra Jazz Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo]
October 3rd, 2013: Jazz at Lincoln Center, Allen Rom New York, NY USA [George Wein: The Life of a Legend]
October 4th, 2013: Jazz at Lincoln Center, Allen Rom New York, NY USA [George Wein: The Life of a Legend]
October 12th, 2013: Miller Theatre at Columbia University New York, NY USA [Anat Cohen Quartet]
November 7th, 2013: Victoria Theatre, New Jersey Performing Arts Cente Newark, NJ USA [Anat Cohen Quartet]
December 28th, 2013: Umbria Jazz Winter Orvieto, ITALY [Anat Cohen]
December 29th, 2013: Umbria Jazz Winter Orvieto, ITALY [Anat Cohen]
December 30th, 2013: Umbria Jazz Winter Orvieto, ITALY [Anat Cohen]
December 31st, 2013: Umbria Jazz Winter Orvieto, ITALY [Anat Cohen]
January 1st, 2014: Umbria Jazz Winter Orvieto, ITALY [Anat Cohen]

Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival begins final year as women-only showcase

IMN

May 16th, 2013

washingtonpost.com

Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival begins final year as women-only showcase

The headline blared: “Why Women Musicians Are Inferior.” It was cringe-inducing even in 1938, when the respected jazz publication DownBeat printed the essay. A rebuttal from a female saxophonist — a “skirt swinger” — was further ridiculed when DownBeat slapped on the title “How Can You Blow a Horn With a Brassiere?”

Two generations passed before female bandleaders, instrumentalists and composers — long ensconced in jazz history but often marginalized or maligned — began being saluted at “women-in-jazz” festivals.

To read the full article click here:http://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/mary-lou-williams-women-in-jazz-festival-begins-final-year-as-women-only-showcase/2013/05/15/6a6579ae-b672-11e2-aa9e-a02b765ff0ea_story.html

Ms. Cohen on the clarinet was a revelation

IMN

May 3rd, 2013

from nytimes.com

Jazz’s Skinny Stepchild
By: Joe Nocera

In search of some live Brazilian music a few months ago, I found my way to Dizzy’s Club Coca-Cola, in the Time Warner Center, where the Brazilian percussionist Duduka Da Fonseca was leading a quintet. I can’t say I knew much about Mr. Da Fonseca before I heard his band that night, and among the things I didn’t know was that his quintet’s regular reed player was a 38-year-old Israeli woman named Anat Cohen, who has lived in New York since 1999.

To read the full article click here

A conversation with clarinetist & saxophonist Anat Cohen

IMN

April 19th, 2013

from clevelandclassical.wordpress.com

Preview: Tri-C JazzFest — a conversation with clarinetist & saxophonist Anat Cohen
By: Jarrett Hoffman

As part of Cleveland’s 2013 Tri-C JazzFest, renowned jazz clarinetist and saxophonist Anat Cohen will be performing with the Rimon Jazz Institute Ensemble from Tel Aviv as well as the Tri-C Jazz Studies Workshop Ensemble on April 24 beginning at 7:30 pm in the Tri-C Metro Campus Auditorium. Voted Clarinetist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association six years and counting, last September Cohen released her sixth album as a bandleader, Claroscuro, which features her on both clarinet and saxophone. We reached her by telephone to talk about the album and her upcoming performance in Cleveland.

To read the interview click here

Anat Cohen winner of the Paul Acket Award 2013

IMN

April 17th, 2013

Every year, the North Sea Jazz Festival hands out the Paul Acket Award to an artist deserving wider recognition for their extraordinary musicianship. The winner of the Paul Acket Award 2013 is the Israeli musician Anat Cohen.

Anat Cohen is an Israeli clarinettist, saxophonist and band leader who mixes jazz with different styles of ethnic music. She plays with her own group, Anat Cohen Quartet. Besides that, she often collaborates with her two brothers Avishai (trumpet) and Yuval (alto and soprano sax), both in their trio 3Cohens and in the Cohanim Sextuplet, a tribute to Louis Armstrong. Recently she released the well-received album Claroscuro. Cohen was awarded Clarinettist of the Year by the Jazz Journalist Association seven consecutive times.
Jury member Danny Melnick of the Newport Jazz Festival calls Anat Cohen “one of the most expressive and joyful musicians in the world. She is an important part of today’s New York and global jazz scene.”

“Having found her instrument in the clarinet, she is the embodiment of a group of musicians playing in a so-called new tradition.”, according to director Gent Jazz Festival Bertrand Flamang. “With much feeling and respect for the history of ‘her’ style, she brings a personal, fresh and enthusiastic approach. Also, she knows how to keep her music accessible to the listener.”

The Paul Acket award is supported by the Foundation BNP Paribas since 2011. Jean Jacques Goron, Managing Director of the Foundation: “A longstanding partner of jazz music, the BNP Paribas Foundation has been helping numerous musicians to forge their career. This is why, as a main partner of the Paul Acket Award, we wish to congratulate Anat Cohen. With her charismatic stage presence, Anat Cohen is fluent in a global set of styles, from Brazilian choro to blues to standards like La Vie en Rose, all performed with sheer joie de vivre. Her sound is as powerful as it sensual, hitting a captivating groove with interpretations that express a profound tenderness. This artist is clearly destined to become a leading lady in jazz. We wish her all the best.”

Anat Cohen will receive her prize at the festival where she will perform on Friday July 12. The Port of Rotterdam North Sea Jazz Festival 2013 takes place on July 12, 13 and 14. The complete line up and time tables will be announced on April 25.

Paul Acket Award

With this award, the North Sea Jazz organisation wants to highlight talented jazz musicians at the beginning of their career. These artists are already known within the jazz scene, but not yet recognized by a wider audience. Besides a trophy, the winner of the Paul Acket Awards also receives a cheque of 5000 euro, meant to push his career even further. Former winners of this award are amongst others Craig Taborn (2012), Arve Hendriksen (2011), Christian Scott (2010), Stefano Bollani (2009), Adam Rogers (2008), Gianluca Petrella (2007), Conrad Herwig (2006) and Ben Allison (2005).

StLJN interview: Anat Cohen

IMN

April 17th, 2013

stljazznotes.blogspot.com

StLJN interview: Anat Cohen

The Greater St. Louis Jazz Festival began as primarily an educational event for local student jazz bands, and although the festival has been booking headlining talent for several years now, the professionals performing at the GSLJF still are involved in putting on workshops and adjudications for the students.

As you’d expect, the questions they get from young musicians can cover a wide range of topics, from technical to philosophical. But if any aspiring jazz clarinetists ask Anat Cohen this week which other clarinet players they should be listening to, the answer they get may be somewhat surprising.

To read the rest of the article and the interview click here

Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen is must-see Jazz Festival artist

IMN

April 11th, 2013

stljewishlight.com

Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen is must-see Jazz Festival artist
By: Marvin Glassman

Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen is on top of the music world. She has been voted as clarinetist of the year for six consecutive years (2007-12) by both the jazz music writers association and Downbeat Magazine, a popular magazine for jazz fans. Cohen has been compared to Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, both whom are regarded as the greatest clarinetists in history.

Cohen will be performing in concert on April 18 for two shows with drummer Matt Wilson at Jazz At The Bistro as part of the 2013 St. Louis Jazz Festival.

“Being clarinetist of the year it is an honor that I will never take for granted and I appreciate all the support from the jazz music critics and my fans. Lots of people associate the clarinet as exclusively for folk music and klezmer music, but the clarinet is a prime musical instrument in jazz as well,” said the 36-year-old Cohen in a phone interview.

To read the full article click here

Live Review: Anat Cohen Quartet at Pizza Express

IMN

March 22nd, 2013

from http://adrianyekkes.blogspot.co.uk

Anat Cohen Quartet at Pizza Express
By: Adrian Yekkes

Anat Cohen played her first ever UK gig last night at Pizza Express Jazz in London. The final concert of her quartet’s European tour played to a full house that was left wanting more after two brilliant sets of
compositions mostly taken from her current album – Claroscuro, which she explained means clear and dark, just like the music!

This was a world class quartet with Jason Lindner on piano, Daniel Freedman on drums and Joe Martin on bass. The evening opened with a rousing version of Artie Shaw’s Nightmare, a thumping, threatening tune with Anat setting the standard for the evening with warm and deep to cool and high playing of the clarinet and later the saxophone and more than ably supported by her quartet. This is the same quartet that played on the afore named latest album and the playing was tight indeed with lots of smiles and laughter, some apparent mind reading between Lindner and Freedman in particular and a very democratic approach from Anat, with lots of long and lovely solos from her boys.

To read the full article click here

Anat Cohen "...brings the once-mighty “liquorice stick” back into fashion"

IMN

March 19th, 2013

from standard.co.uk

Anat Cohen quartet, Pizza Express Jazz Club – music review
By: Jack Massarik

Back in the Swing era, when clarinet was king, its leading exponents, bandleaders Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, were superstars. The Bop revolution changed all that, but if anyone can bring the once-mighty “liquorice stick” back into fashion after a half-century in the shadows it’s Anat Cohen.

This vivacious Israeli-born, New York-based multi-reed expert plays nifty soprano, tenor saxes and some bass clarinet too but it’s her tone, technique and fluency on clarinet that make her special. A recent US critics poll put her top of this division, with more than twice the votes of her nearest rival.

To read the full article click here

Cohen the pied piper of jazz

IMN

March 11th, 2013

from winnipegfreepress.com

Cohen the pied piper of jazz
By: Chris Smith

If there were a pied piper of jazz, it would be a woman playing a clarinet as jazz fans happily followed her wherever she led them.

And that woman would be Anat Cohen, who led happy jazz fans through many styles of music Sunday afternoon during the second of her three weekend concerts in the Izzy Asper Jazz Performances series.

Cohen showcased her clarinet playing by starting off with the Artie Shaw tune, Nightmare, with its incessant piano and drums behind the horn and letting the audience know Cohen is the modern-day stalwart of the horn, seen less often as a front-line instrument.

To read the full article click here

Clarinet hard to ignore in Anat Cohen’s hands

IMN

March 5th, 2013

from edmontonjournal.com

Concert preview: Clarinet hard to ignore in Anat Cohen’s hands Israeli-born musician brings quartet to Yardbird Suite

By: Roger Levesque

EDMONTON – For decades now, the once popular clarinet has sat on the sidelines of jazz music, practised by a few skilled, veteran players who tended to stick with traditional material.

Anat Cohen may be changing that.

Still in her 30s and gifted on both saxophone and clarinet, Israeli-born, Brooklyn-based Cohen has been ranked as the top clarinet player in jazz for six years. It’s not just about her considerable technical finesse. Cohen is paying respect to the tradition and pulling the clarinet forward into more contemporary jazz styles with an enthusiasm that’s hard to ignore.

To read the full article click here

Anat Cohen "has a vibrant musicality"

IMN

March 4th, 2013

from writteninmusic.com

ANAT COHEN – CLAROSCURO
By: Henning Bolte

Anat Cohen (1975), the middle of the Cohen family of musicians from Tel Aviv, has a vibrant musicality, is all music (for the Cohen family see HERE and HERE to Written In Music ). Her game – on clarinets and saxophones – is pure musical pleasure, her own pleasure and equal enjoyment of the listener and viewer. Meanwhile, working from New York, she plays mostly standard repertoire which she effortlessly bandwidth covers evidenced by the 11 pieces on this album come: Abdullah Ibrahim (South African), Pixinguinha, Buarque, Cartola (Brazilian), Borges (Cuban), Mack / Louiguy / Piaf (French), Artie Shaw, Dr.. Lonnie Smith (North American). Three pieces are originals: Kick off of Cohen himself, the opener Anat’s Dance of pianist Jason Lindner and All Brothers drummer Daniel Freedman.

To read the full article click here

Anat Cohen: On Top of the Music World

IMN

March 4th, 2013

From The Canadian Jewish News

Top Israeli Clarinetist to Perform in Canada
By: Marvin Glassman

Israeli clarinetist Anat Cohen is on top of the music world. She has been voted as clarinetist of the year six years in a row (2007 to 2012) by both the Jazz Journalists Association and Downbeat Magazine. She has been compared to Benny Goodman and Artie Shaw, who are considered by many as the greatest clarinetists in history.

Cohen will be performing in concert March 8 in Edmonton and March 9 and10 in Winnipeg. There are no other Canadian shows planned as of yet.

“Being clarinetist of the year is an honour that I will never take for granted, and I appreciate all the support from the jazz music critics and my fans. Lots of people associate the clarinet as exclusively for folk music and klezmer music, but the clarinet is a prime musical instrument in jazz as well,” the 36-year-old Cohen said in a phone interview.

To read more click here

Anat Cohen is making the clarinet cool

IMN

March 1st, 2013

from winnipegfreepress.com

Anat Cohen is making the clarinet cool
By: Chris Smith

Jazz musician Anat Cohen is adept at tenor and soprano saxophones, as well as the clarinet.As a good jazz musician, clarinettist and saxophonist Anat Cohen will introduce surprises into her performances — a tune you didn’t expect, an unusual phrase, a solo you’ll talk about for a long time.

Or — as when the Israeli-born, New York-based Cohen leads her quartet here in three concerts next month — she’ll add another musician to the mix: the harmonica player Grégoire Maret.

“It’s not finalized what we’ll play,” Cohen says in a telephone interview from New York. “We’ll see. I love the way he plays, the sound of harmonica with clarinet.”

Cohen is on an extensive tour of North America and Europe with her quartet, featuring music from her latest CD, Claroscuro, but Maret has been added to the lineup only for the Winnipeg shows, March 9 and 10, as part of the Izzy Asper Jazz Performances series.

To read the full article click here

Anat Cohen to make her UK debut

IMN

February 21st, 2013

marlbank.tumblr.com

Anat Cohen to make her UK debut
By: Stephen Graham

She’s been on the cover of both Downbeat and Jazz Times, and with the release of her latest album Claroscuro as recently as the autumn, the multi-award winning clarinet, bass clarinet and saxophone player Anat Cohen, with a finely honed individualism in her extraordinarily burnished playing, here achieves maximum impact with her down home version of Abdullah Ibrahim’s ‘The Wedding’. That version alone along with her reputation Stateside should whet the appetites of UK jazz fans sufficiently to draw the serious jazz heads down to the Soho basement club she’s to play when the Israeli-born musician debuts in the UK for a first appearance in London next month as part of a brief European tour. With a band on the album that includes the hip Jason Lindner on piano, skilled bassist Joe Martin, and drummer Daniel Freedman, all of whom are making the trip, there’s much to savour from the deep traditions of jazz clarinet onwards towards the modern global sound on an album that playfully uses the Spanish spelling of the Italian word ‘chiaroscuro’ in its title. Don’t forget to catch Cohen’s wonderful take on Artie Shaw’s ‘Nightmare’, with Paquito d’Rivera guesting, if you pick up Claroscuro.

To read the original article click here