#4233: From Soundcheck - Avi and Omer Avital, Kinan Azmeh and The Knights

From our Soundcheck Podcast series of in-studio sessions, hear performances from both mandolinist Avi Avital and bassist Omer Avital (no relation), and The Knights playing music by Syrian clarinetist Kinan Azmeh.

Israeli mandolinist Avi Avital’s music ranges from classical to folk to klezmer. Bass player and composer Omer Avital, born in Israel, has been playing jazz in New York for over 20 years. Their brilliant collaboration, Avital Meets Avital, draws on Moroccan and North African sounds, folkloric and classical traditions, Israeli harmonies and Mediterranean rhythms and jazz improvisation. Hear Avi and Omer Avital, with pianist Yonathan Avishai and percussionist Itamar Doari play some of their works, in-studio.

Then, hear The Knights, the New York-based flexible chamber collective together with the groundbreaking Syrian clarinetist, Kinan Azmeh. They perform Azmeh’s new Concertino Grosso (“a big little concerto”) in-studio. The work was commissioned in part by Carnegie Hall’s 125 Commissions Project. Azmeh describes his background studying western classical music and reflects on current events in Syria with this statement: “Making music is an act of freedom, by default”.

Program #4233: Soundcheck Sessions, Avi and Omer Avital, Kinan Azmeh and The Knights  (First aired 5/1/2019)

ARTIST: The Knights
WORK: Kinan Azmeh: Concertino Grosso [1:00]
RECORDING: Live, in studio, 4/02/2019
SOURCE: This performance not available.
INFO: newsounds.org/story/new-chamber-music-kinan-azmeh-and-knights

ARTIST: Avi Avital – mandolin; Omer Avital – double bass; Yonathan Avishai – piano; Itamar Doari – percussion
WORK: Ana Maghrebi [4:23]
RECORDING: Live, in studio, 4/15/2019
SOURCE: This performance not available. 
INFO: newsounds.org/story/chamber-jazz-avi-and-omer-avital-instudio

ARTIST: Avi Avital – mandolin; Omer Avital – double bass; Yonathan Avishai – piano; Itamar Doari – percussion
WORK: Lonely Girl [7:57]
RECORDING: Live, in studio, 4/15/2019
SOURCE: This performance not available. 
INFO: newsounds.org/story/chamber-jazz-avi-and-omer-avital-instudio

ARTIST: The Knights
WORK: Kinan Azmeh: Concertino Grosso [16:01]
RECORDING: Live, in studio, 4/02/2019
SOURCE: This performance not available.
INFO: newsounds.org/story/new-chamber-music-kinan-azmeh-and-knights

ARTIST: Avi Avital – mandolin; Omer Avital – double bass; Yonathan Avishai – piano; Itamar Doari – percussion
WORK: Avi's Song [4:13]
RECORDING: Live, in studio, 4/15/2019
SOURCE: This performance not available. 
INFO: newsounds.org/story/chamber-jazz-avi-and-omer-avital-instudio

ARTIST: Avi Avital – mandolin; Omer Avital – double bass; Yonathan Avishai – piano; Itamar Doari – percussion
WORK: Zamzama [1:12]
RECORDING: Avital Meets Avital
SOURCE: Deutsche Grammophon 0289 479 6523 . 
INFO: deutschegrammophon.com