Avishai Cohen New York Division conquer all at Barbican

The Israeli bassist and bandleader is not only among the most charismatic of performers currently strutting international jazz festival and concert hall stages, his role is central to shaping the music making in every possible way. Appearing with his New York Division – which includes downtown guitar monster Kurt Rosenwinkel, and an exceptional brass pairing of Argentinean trumpet firebrand Diego Urcola and top NYC trombonist Steve Davis – it was telling that for the all of the horns' firepower, they were positioned behind Cohen’s trio of pianist Nitai Hershkovits and drummer Daniel Dor such was their power and near dominance this evening.

It’s also telling that in an age of diminishing numbers of big jazz names capable of filling an imposing and prestigious space such as that of the Barbican that tonight’s show is a near sell-out – evidence of Cohen’s transition from club to concert hall status in recent years. The music was larger too, Cohen dipping into repertoire from his early solo albums – the opening ‘Reunion Of The Souls’ taken from Adama, his 1997 debut as a leader – yet here with Urcola and Davis literally breathing new life into them, with the kind of high-end paint-stripping power you’d expect from New York’s finest. The Big Apple played an important part in Cohen’s evolution as a musician, his time there in his formative years saw him perform with a huge variety of musicians – including reggae and latin bands – and this piece and others such as ‘Song For My Brother’ and the grungy ‘Shuffle’ mined similarly eclectic territory, contrasting with the strong folkloric leanings of recent albums Seven Seas, Almah and his latest, From Darkness.

While Rosenwinkel soared with adrenalin-soaked virtuosity, and Urcola and Davis couldn’t play a wrong note if they tried, for me it was the 27-year old Hershkovits who set this night alight. Debuting with Cohen on the stunning yet restrained Blue Note duo album Duende in 2012, his playing tonight sparkled in just about every way – his pristine touch matched with lines that unravelled in the most pleasing yet unpredictable way, his rhythmic sparring with gifted drummer Dor and Cohen’s sinewy bass work a real highlight. But he has taste too, typically on the breathless ballad ‘Song for the Unborn’, carefully circling the bassist’s lines with an exquisite sense of space.

By the end of set one the band blasted into the stratosphere, and set two ran a similarly impressive and varied gamut of styles, yet with some pleasant twists too. Firstly Cohen’s ability as a singer hadn’t thus far been revealed – but his feather-light take on ‘Nature Boy’ was spellbinding – but also allowed some calm before the latin storm that was to follow. Those days laying down montuno bass lines on many a hot New Yorican night have a habit of reappearing in Cohen’s live shows and tonight was no exception – his effortless mastery of polyrhythms both sung and played was yet another joy to behold. The two encores and three standing ovations told their own story: that Cohen is now a driving force hitting the high gears and then some.

– Mike Flynn @mikeflynnbass

– Photos by Roger Thomas