Customer Reviews

Lyla

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Cohen remains one of my favorite contemporary composers and musicians, but amony his body of work there are a few duds. This is one of them. "Unity" is another. While even on these albums there are moments of raw brilliance, there is a tendency to become to groove-oriented, become bogged-down, even, dare I say it, smooth.

Avishai's new album is an impressive achievement and is similar to his previous albums in that it is loaded with worldly rhythms and hummable melodies. It is very different sonically though with Cohen's use of synthesizer, keyboards, and electronic effects combined with acoustic instruments. The album also showcases Cohen's prowess on the electric bass more prominently, particularly on "Handsonit" a number which features a fleet fingered melody with electric bass and horns giving way to a soulful bridge and a great trumpet tradeoff. "Eternal Child" finds Avishai back on Acoustic Bass in a duet with Chick Corea, and his own Piano solo "Structure in Emotion" is an interesting piece as well. Go check this out.. a forward thinking album by a distinctive artist.

I was given this album as a present and am thankful that I did not pay for it. Instead of the daring Jazz music I had known Cohen's previous albums to be, this mish-mash of an album left me deeply disappointed. Is he a pianist or vocalist or bassist?
Who cares anymore...

I bought Lyla after hearing the title track and 'Ascension' on the radio so this is my first exposure to Mr. Cohen. This album has a dark, ambient quality that I have noticed in recent works from Brad Mehldau, coupled with choral vocals and trumpet that evoke Donald Byrd's "A New Perspective".

The tracks are extremely versatile with Avishai handling both acoustic and electric basses as well as various keyed instruments including Fender Rhodes piano.

This is a wonderful, accessible album to even the newcomer to jazz. Highly recommended. Avishai Cohen is one cool cat.

I bought this album after hearing Cohen in concert. It was my first exposure to his music, and I went out, floating on the music's energies, and bought it.
It is a very good Jazz CD. The music is good, and is not too modern to be annoying. His version of "Come Together" is interesting though amusing, and the CD as a whole is a fun Jazz CD.
Since I have nothing bad to say about it, although I can't say it's a super-original album, or the best Jazz album I've ever heard, and since i'm a bassist myself and certain that I will learn a lot from careful listening to the bass, I give this album the 5 starts it deserves.