3 Cohens Sextet

"To the ranks of the Heaths of Philadelphia, the Joneses of Detroit and the Marsalises of New Orleans, fans can now add the 3 Cohens of Tel Aviv." — All About Jazz

The best jazz groups are made up of kindred spirits, but the rare family band has something more – an intuitive feel for each other that goes beyond words and gestures to a kind of telepathy. The 3 Cohens are that sort of uncommon collective, a trio of siblings from Tel Aviv, Israel – tenor saxophonist/clarinetist Anat, trumpeter Avishai, and soprano saxophonist Yuval – whose sense of improvisational interplay is both uncannily fluent and wonderfully, infectiously warm. Along with performing on stages the world over, the 3 Cohens record together on Anzic Records, the most recent being the acclaimed Family that features the three Israeli horn players in league with pianist Aaron Goldberg, bassist Matt Penman, and drummer Gregory Hutchinson. Family underscores the fact that even with the individual careers each of the Cohens pursues to increasing international success, there is something special about the music the three make together.

"We can talk without talking," says Anat, the middle child. "Often, we don't even have to look at each other onstage. We have such history together that we feel each other through the music."

Yuval, Anat and Avishai Cohen grew up in Tel Aviv under the same roof and in the same schools, with the common environment helping to shape close musical tastes, approaches and ideas. The three studied classical music at the esteemed Thelma Yellin High School for the Arts, and the Jaffa Music Conservatory. While their backgrounds included symphonic orchestral playing, it was jazz that soon captured their imaginations. Through the World Scholarship Tour, each of the Cohens attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Post-graduation the trio formed a family sextet while concurrently forming their own bands.

Acclaim for 3 Cohens Sextet was immediate. From All About Jazz: "What gives 3 Cohens a certain edge is the simpatico they share, extending beyond merely being siblings; it involves all three sharing the common bond of music from an early age, and the kind of comfort level and intuition that can only come from playing together for many years. The result is a front line that finds pleasure in the subtlest nuances. While there are hints of their ethnic heritage, make no mistake – this music is clearly rooted in contemporary post-bop. . . Throughout, a joyfulness pervades these performances." The New York Times enthused over the group's "family sound" and "intuitive counterpoint" before pointing out the players' individual qualities: "Anat has emerged as one of the best clarinet players in jazz, with a warm and singing tone; Avishai can play bebop and ballad lines and outer-limit trumpet sounds with tireless fluency; and Yuval has a full and relaxed sound on soprano."

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