This album was my tenth release as a leader and my second by this particular trio. Dedicated to my father, who passed in 2010, I consider it a kind of musical bookend to my debut recording, Calling All Spirits.

(Avram Fefer)

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Tracklist:

1. Song for Dyani [06:24]

2. Wishful Thinking [07:39]

3. Appropriated Lands [07:51]

4. Eliyahu [05:26]

5. Trued Right [06:08]

6. A Taste for Love [06:51]

7. Essaouira [08:19]

8. City Life [04:11]

9. Eliyahu (2) [05:06]

 

Line-up:

Avram Fefer - Alto, Tenor Saxes

Eric Revis - Bass

Chad Taylor - Drums

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Recorded:

on January 9, 2010 in NYC @ HED recording studios.
Mixed Sept. 3, 2010 @ The Maid's Room.

 

What the critics say:

"The fire ignited by saxophonist Avram Fefer is fresh, yet it sounds as eternal as all things avant in jazz... a stellar example of the trio tradition.

Fefer's varied experience, be it playing hypnotic West African traditional music or electro-acoustic trip-hop, informs his highly developed sense of swing. His coiled phrasing lends these propulsive excursions an infectious, groove-oriented focus.” (Allaboutjazz.com)

“Ear-grabbing work from this killer trio. ...has a sense of groove that's undeniable…. drawn-out, soulful explorations that ring out with a sense of freedom and an inherent swing” (Dustygroove.com)

“This is great new jazz. What else is there to say?

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(gapplegatemusicreview.blogspot.com)

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It's been two years since this trio released "Ritual", and this new release continues in the same, and excellent vain. I praised Avram Fefer's soulful lyricism on alto and tenor, I praised the fantastic rhythm section of Eric Revis on bass and Chad Taylor on drums, and I can only do the same now, and possibly even more.
From the very first notes, this album is guaranteed to bring you in a good mood. The ingredients are familiar, but it takes a good cook to turn these into a real special dish. You will hear lots of soul, African rhythms, blues, and all this on a solid relentless, often hypnotic rhythmic foundation with the leader sharing warmth and sympathy and musical joy and the love of life itself. Interestingly enough, it's only after writing the previous sentence that I read the same phrase in the liner notes, as one of the values that Fefer's late father, Eliyahu, tried to share with him. So he really manages to get that feeling across : the love of life, even in times of sadness.
Fefer's tone is like magic, it is round, clear, precise, and deeply emotional. Apart - or maybe as part of - from his lyricism, he also has an incredible sense of rhythm and pace in his improvisations, emphasising, pausing, building tension, or blowing away, accompanied with an incredible sense of focus on the original theme.
And as a trio the band is strong, you hear the spontaneity and fluency of their interaction as a perfect match, as well in tone and overall musical approach, just listen how the solidity of Revis' vamp on "Essaouira" allows Taylor to go along on his cymbals with the lyricism of the tenor, then taking the lead in some deep rumbling on his toms.
Indeed a joy from beginning to end. You need a good mood? Don't hesitate.

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(by stef, .freejazzblog.org)

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L'amore, il rispetto e la riconoscenza per il padre di Avram Fefer appena scomparso non sono solamente una commovente dedica riportata all'interno del CD ma sentimenti ed emozioni che traspaiono in maniera prepotente nella musica contenuta in Eliyahu. Il trio è formidabile, ciascun musicista a nome proprio o come collaboratore ha partecipato ad importanti incisioni e performance della scena creativa statunitense, ma accantona ogni velleità o tentazione esibizionista per dar vita ad una registrazione ricca di una musicalità e di una passionalità rara, d'altri tempi.
Composizioni permeate da un elastico groove interno agganciano da subito l'ascoltatore e non gli danno scampo, melodie struggenti vengono trasformate, espanse, ricomposte con naturalezza e semplicità. Il suono è caldo e avvolgente, la souplesse esecutiva prevale anche nei momenti più scorbutici, la libertà del jazz si fonde con i ritmi dell'Africa, la spiritualità del soul con la semplicità del blues, la malinconia delle ballad con l'effervescenza delle free form.
In Eliyahu la tradizione del trio sax-basso-batteria trova un nuovo impulso attraverso un approccio né rivoluzionario né di rottura nei confronti di modelli divenuti classici nel corso del tempo. La magia di questo trio sta nell'aver saputo conciliare la tradizione con la naturale propensione del musicista alla ricerca, nell'aver trovato il giusto punto di fusione tra le varie influenze che hanno alimentato il corso principale della musica afro- americana. Ci si senta a casa nell'ascolto di questo CD che predispone al buon umore, infonde un senso di pace e di serenità giocato sul filo dei ricordi ma senza nostalgia, e che risulta davvero difficile togliere dal lettore.

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(allabout jazz Italy)