...echoes of classic hard bop guitar phrasing, traces of bluesy grit, flashes of rock swagger, and moments of melodic restraint that reveal a deep familiarity with vocal phrasing...This is a jazz guitar that moves forward without severing its roots: modern in attitude, yet deeply respectful of its soul.
With All In, Israeli guitarist Gil Livni dives into the soulful pulse of the jazz organ quartet, blending swing, bluesy grit, and hard-bop fire with a modern touch. Joined by organist Yonatan Riklis, drummer Yonatan Rosen, and saxophonist Amit Friedman, Livni leads a spirited conversation that moves fluidly between groove and sophistication. From the explosive opener, "Wonder Woman," to a bold reimagining of the Beatles' "I Want You (She's So Heavy)," the quartet blurs boundaries of style and era with their effortless chemistry. Across ten tracks—seven originals, two jazz and blues standards, and that striking Beatles take—Livni channels the tradition while reshaping it in his own image. His voice is lyrical, expressive, and deeply rooted in the joy of discovery, pushing jazz guitar forward while keeping its soulful heart intact.
Track Listing:
1 Wonder Woman 4:03
2 All In 5:59
3 Walk in the Park 6:50
4 I Want You (She's So Heavy) 5:54
5 I Thought About You 6:39
6 Granted 7:17
7 Pass the Ball 5:18
8 Since I Fell for You 6:46
9 Red Bird 5:33
10 Gentleman's Blues 9:19
All music by Gil Livni, except:
(4) Lennon & McCartney; (5) Van Heusen & Mercer; (8) Woodrow Johnson
Performers:
Gil Livni - guitar
Amit Friedman - tenor saxophone (except 3,5,7)
Yonatan Riklis - organ
Yonatan Rosen - drums
Production Info:
Produced by Gil Livni
Recorded by Uri Efrat
at Uri Efrat Studio, Hod Hasharon, Israel
First session: Dec. 30, 2024 - Jan. 1, 2025
Second session: July 3, 2025
Mixed & mastered by Bill Tsur
at Bliss Studio, Nes Ziona, Israel
Photos by Mariana Stebeneva, Sheva Studio
Cover design & layout by John Bishop
Reviews of All In
Paris-Move (Thierry De Clemensat)
From the very first notes of All In, given the speed at which the guitarist fires off notes in every direction, one feels tempted to dub him "the man of a thousand fingers." Gil Livini draws the listener into a jazz idiom that seems unmistakably rooted in a distant past, yet reshaped by resolutely contemporary harmonic forms. Carried by organ textu ...
UK Vibe (Mike Gates)
There's something reassuringly direct about "All In", an album that wears its influences proudly and never pretends to be anything other than what it is: a solid, groove-led jazz organ quartet date with strong playing and an easy sense of swing. Israeli guitarist Gil Livni leads from the front, but this is very much a collective effort, rooted in t ...
Jazz Weekly (George Harris)
Israeli-based guitarist Gil Livni comes from the tradition of George Benson/Grant Green with a dash of Wes Montgomery on this satisfying hard bop collection with his sabra team of Amit Friedman/ts, Yonatan Riklis/org and Yonatan Rosen/dr.
Most of the tunes are from Livni's pen, and he's got the gift of groove, double timing with Friedman and a h ...
