Tel Aviv Jazz Fest announces roster

The biggest name on this year's foreign roster is American saxophonist, clarinetist and flutist James Carter.

By BARRY DAVIS
James Carter 88 248 (photo credit: Courtesy)
James Carter 88 248
(photo credit: Courtesy)
This year's Tel Aviv Jazz Festival will run between February 24 and February 27. As usual, there will be a mix of foreign and Israeli jazz artists on display, plus some "extramural" musical offerings for music lovers from beyond the jazz pale. The biggest name on this year's foreign roster is American saxophonist, clarinetist and flutist James Carter, who will star in a gala double header at the Opera House at the festival opener. Carter will front his own quintet, which recently released the well received Present Tense album. The other half of the evening features the All Stars Jazz Band super group led by trumpeters David Weiss and Jeremy Pelt, with headliner saxophonists Bennie Maupin and Billy Harper and drummer Billy Hart in tow. Carter will also perform with a trio, including a Hammond B3 organist, while All Stars Jazz Band pianist George Cables heads his own band - with bassist Dwayne Burno and promising Israeli drummer Amir Bressler - on the third day of the festival. Other overseas names include saxophonist JD Allen, flutist James Newton, who will join forces with Israeli saxophonist Albert Beger, and Nazareth-born guitarist Michel Sajrawy with an intriguing crossover program culled from jazz, rock and Arabic music. The Israeli contingent at the festival includes 14-year-old pianist Tomer Bar, with pop artist Daniel Salomon guesting, the Mel Rosenberg Quartet, trumpeter Yoav Amitzur, and recent returnee to these shores flutist Mattan Klein with a Latin-based program. The program also includes several mixed genre slots, including New York-based Israeli pianist Omer Klein, who will team up with US resident Israeli drummer Ziv Ravitz and the latter's aunt, pop icon Yehudit Ravitz. Elsewhere, veteran rocker Rami Fortis will present a free-ranging highly improvisational program of avant garde endeavor and even a little rock opera. Other than the opening evening, all festival shows will take place at the Tel Aviv Cinematheque.