Customer Reviews

Place and Time

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

 

 

I don't write reviews for anything on Amazon, but I am this time to back up what was said in the (at this time) 2 positive reviews and as a counterpoint to the one negative review. One of the positive reviews states you'll either get it or you won't; obviously the reviewer who did not like it does not get it. In his short review he states that this is "light jazz" and goes on to lament his inability to stop time and live in a very small dimension (i'm paraphrasing a bit). While there are tracks that could be played on light jazz stations, the same could be said of some of Miles' or Coltranes' ballads, but that doesn't make them light jazz, just as this is not. It is a shame that Amazon still does not have her 2 2007 releases available. I had to go the Anzic Label website to buy them. You won't be sorry in purchasing her music as she weaves a lot into her playing that -yes, not everyone will get.

I have been reading a lot about Ms. Cohen. She seems to have been making some history recently: she is the only female horn player (and the only Israeli) ever to headline at the Village Vanguard. She is the only person ever to get citations in 5 categories in the annual Downbeat Magazine Critics Poll (2007). She is the only woman ever chosen as "Up and coming jazz musician" of the year by the global Jazz Journalists Association...and the only person ever to get the aformentioned nod and win a best instrumentalist category (clarinet in her case). Then...there are feature articles about her in places like the Washington Post. She's playing at the Newport Jazz festival this year. All the foregoing struck me as a lot of smoke...for there not to be any fire. So I bought her three albums as a leader and the Waverly Seven (of which she is a member) album "YO! BOBBY". Now.. I understand the kudos. She is an extraordinary musician. She has a warm, solid tone on all 5 of her instruments. Her improvising is extraordinarily creative yet artfully restrained....as opposed to what I hear from the legions of Brecker, Potter, Coltrane would be clones out there. Her original compositions have something to say. I love her taste in cover tunes. I get it.

Oh yes, did I get it!!! Where has she been hiding? This is super stuff. I dont want to put anyone down, but to somebody not enjoy this music to the point of criticizing it, I don't get it. How can somebody not recognize talent and encourage new talent, to say the least. The compositions are great, the arrangements are excellent, the improvisations as well. Come on, let's recognize good music and enjoy it.

To be honest - I haven't heard this whole album - just the lengthy clips on the amazon listening station. But I was curious, having read strong notices in May 2007 in the New York Times - and her stuff is lovely - AND the one-star screed posted by the other reviewer is so far off base that I needed to post a counter-balance to that wrier's one-star notice, which has much more to do with his (?) personal biases than this music. This is fine contemporary jazz with heart, soul, wit, chops and verve.

I heard about Anat Cohen in Fred Kaplan's "Jazz Messenger" music blog at http://blog.stereophile.com/fredkaplan/. Subsequently I looked up Cohen on Youtube and fell in love with her musicianship, tone, and style. One of those great players that manages to stand out and impress by being totally integrated with her band. And the band seems top notch -- always a good sign. Great talent.

The playing: beautiful and invisibly perfect phrasing, tone, and a total sense of the music. Her work on the clarinet is not to be missed.

Anat Cohen is a great talent. The music is lovely jazz improvisation.

Wonderful to listen to. Anat is a wonderful inspiration for neophyte female jazz artists.

This music is what would pass for "jazz" today, better known as "light jazz." I say, it has no "balls." The jazz I know, with roots in bebop, is much more vital, and hardly played today live. I don't see what the fuss is about, if there is any, unless it is the attempt of the record companies to promote a woman. No problem with women jazz players. They are around, but please, record companies, don't just try to promote the person. Wait until the music is ready. And don't call it jazz. Jazz, as such, is kinda dead. The best stuff is reissues.