"I was fortunate enough to be able to work with the same group for the last five years and as a result to build a collective sound, share and nourish each other ideas and grow as one unit". (Assaf Kehati)
From the album liner notes:
His playing quickly spoke to me. I found in his improvisations a sincerity and immediacy which are very rare. They were free of the academicism and elaborate compositional elements that smack of preconception. In his phrases an elegant geometry and rhythmic potency seized my attention. When listening to Assaf, I never felt that he was trying to sell me something. I never felt that he was aiming to prove to me how hip his concepts were or how polished his technique was. His music had all the clever and earnest nonchalance of a child. It seemed to say plainly, “take it or leave it.” With “Flowers and Other Stories”, Assaf continues in this vain.
DAVID LIGHTON, NEW YORK CITY, JANUARY 2011.
Reviews:
"I found in it a lot of beauty, sensitivity and intelligence that is not typical to young artists”.
YAIR SPIEGEL, THE SIDEMAN.
"On this recording, his sophomore outing, Assaf Kehati paints a finely textured self-portrait of a master musical sculptor".
DAN BILAWSKY, ALL ABOUT JAZZ.
"With Flowers and Other Stories, guitarist Assaf Kehati writes a new chapter of Modern jazz, one powered by the creativity of his compositions and the distinctive sound of the music".
EDWARD BLANCO, EJAZZNEWS.
"Kehati allowing the players to follow their own instincts and challenge the others through careful tension-building and release. Based on the mature playing on this second disc, more can be looked forward to from this promising quartet”.
EYAL HAREUVENI, ALL ABOUT JAZZ.
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