The Israeli bassist-vocalist has featured strings in his work before but this is his first recording with an orchestra, which is a different undertaking entirely. Placing a trio, helmed by Cohen, at the heart of a 92-piece ensemble, and making the two units gel requires a considerable amount of bridge building and balance, but the marriage is mostly tasteful. First and foremost the rhythm section is not swamped in lush streams of violins and cellos, and Cohen and conductor Alexander Hanson have been savvy enough to let the material breathe rather than rush to fill every space because of the vast resources at their disposal. The new arrangements of Cohen favourites such as ‘Song For My Brother’ and ‘Arab Medley’ retain the emotional charge of the original Middle Eastern folk melodies but bring lustrous new textures to the fore.

Jazzwise spoke to Avishai Cohen about the new album

How did the project with GSO/Alexander Hanson come about?

About five years ago I was going to present my project ‘An Evening with Avishai Cohen’ in Brussels and Gent, Belgium together with the Brussels Philharmonic, they actually suggested to me that I do the show with Alexander. So when it came to the Two Roses recording it was a natural fit, with his understanding of my music. And I love to see him moving on my music, he dances on his podium throughout the whole concert… (you have to smile).

You've used strings on your records before but a symphony orchestra is another animal. Did you always want to collaborate with a group of this scale?

Indeed it's completely different. I have been thinking of orchestral music in my writing, thinking a lot of music that I write has a total connection with the nature of classical music. It took some years to assemble the right music and the right arrangers or orchestrators to arrange my music. Now it happened with the great support of Lars Nilsson, we worked already 15 years together in Gothenburg, so that's where the it had to happen. And what an amazing experience! It's such an empowering sound with the full orchestra.

You have said that “recording with the orchestra is an adventure …it's nothing like making a jazz record.” In what way?

My classical training, other than studying classical piano from 10 years old has been mainly listening to a lot of great composers. My studying of Bach, Mendelson and even Bela BartÓk in my younger years, triggered my hunger for classical music. Working with classical musicians was more difficult to start with because they work differently, even just in the fact that they are used to playing through-written music from scores and we are used to improvising. That's what makes it different and also adds to the music in a special way.

What is it like to play/sing in the middle of such a vast, rich world of sound?

It's been a real trip; it was overwhelming at the start for me, such power and energy from 90 musicians making it happen. Like a train, you cannot stop… it's like a horse with its own heartbeat and then being so tender, but always breathing. It really is a project and recording of a lifetime. I wish to continue touring this all over, it's so exciting for me and also the audiences have really enjoyed it, the project and album comforted me, on so many levels.

There is a deep nostalgia running through the record. Why is that sense of longing and yearning for a time, place or person important to you?

I think from when I started writing music in my early teens I have always related easily to my own emotions and feelings, stored them and then wrote the notes to reflect them in the music as an instrumentalist with full freedom.