Avishai Cohen Trio

As well as his devotion to instrumental and compositional excellence, Israeli bassist Avishai Cohen is also committed to unearthing young, upcoming talent. The brilliant young drummer Roni Kaspi (here tonight, and playing, as ever, with a skill and ferocity that belied her 24 years) first came to prominence in his trio, and now there’s another discovery to his roster – pianist Itay Simhovich, replacing (for this Ronnie’s residency at least) the long-serving Guy Moskovich. Simhovich is just 20 (he turned 21 the day after I saw him) and, on this evidence is another stellar talent, fully in tune with Cohen’s musical impulses; he’s happy to take a supporting role when needed, framing the basslines to make Cohen’s the lead instrument; but also confident enough to assert himself and take the lead with some lovely cascading runs.

Tonight, the threesome were largely performing pieces from Cohen’s 2024 album Brightlight: a hugely assertive ‘Roni’s Swing’, with a jaw-dropping Kaspi solo; ‘The Ever and Ever Evolving Etude’, featuring gorgeous bowed bass features as well as percussive use of the bow and strings; a thunderously funky ‘Brightlight’ (Cohen described Kaspi as ‘a bright light” after this second-set highlight, but in reality she was more like a supernova); and for encores, ‘Courage’, and a showstopping and witty take on ‘Summertime’.

But there delights from previous AC albums too: ‘Remembering’; Simhovich’s romantic, Bill Evans-like runs on ‘Four Verses/Continuation’ (originally released back in 2012 on Duende by Cohen and pianist Nital Herskovits) and from the superb Shifting Sands album, a beautifully-toned ‘Hitragut’; an assured ‘Below’, with Kaspi in control and Cohen setting the controls for the heart of the bass; and an ‘Intertwined’ given new twists by the pianist and leader.

As the trio played on over the two sets, they seemed to become ever more confident and adventurous. I’d say, in fact, that this was the best I’ve ever seen them on stage. I’ll admit to not being bowled over by Brightlight when it came out six or so months ago, but the material from that album took on new shapes and hues in the live environment; and playing the LP back after the concert, I began to reappraise it much more positively. Try it for yourself!

A hugely entertaining couple of hours then, with everything you’d want from a Cohen gig: a startling new talent (Simhovich) to watch out for; Kaspi’s crowd-pleasing drum pyroptechnics; and the leader’s commanding and deeply physical playing style. The sell-out Monday night crowd went home happy.