The first instrumental Jazz album ever recorded in Israel. Mezare Israel Yekabtzenu was originally released in 1973 and has long been out of print. The Jazz Workshop was led by saxophonist, clarinetist, composer, and arranger Albert Piamenta who had grown up in a musical Jewish Moroccan family. He became popular in the 1960s by blending the western sounds of funk, soul and jazz with Israeli and Middle Eastern influences. This release uses Arab maquams, Druze rhythms and Jewish Hasidic song in an effort to move away from American jazz standards. The quartet features Piamenta, drummer Jerry Garbel (a student of Max Roach and Sun Ra collaborator), pianist Dan Gottfried (founder of the Red Sea Jazz Festival) and bassist Teddy Kling of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. Six tracks in all. Released by Fortuna Records on black vinyl housed in a full color sleeve with liner notes by Ariel Tagar.

• music label: Fortuna Records 2014

reviewed by Cool Hand 06/2018