... melodically and rhythmically rich...Mattan Klein, with his quiet virtuosity, leads the way with elegance. A magnificent discovery. The atmosphere is charged with love and benevolence...
Based in Tel Aviv and New York, flutist Mattan Klein has developed a significant international presence since his time at Berklee in the '90s. With fellow Jerusalem native, guitarist Ezequiel Hezi Jait, they formalized their years of musical connection by forming ZurHub in 2017. Deeply invested in creating a unique fusion of the rhythms of Brazil with Jazz harmonies and improvisation, their work also pulls from Israeli folk and classical music. Ultimately though, it's the lure of the landscapes and culture of Brazil, along with the inspiration from artists such as Hermeto Pascoal or Chick Corea, where their music is cultivated. With Itay Simhovich on piano and Rhodes, bassist Assaf Hakimi, and drummer Dani Benedikt, Mattan and Ezequiel navigate the swirling melodies, dancing over the earthy rhythms of Brazilian life.
Track Listing:
1 Social Trust 6:16
2 Outdoors Week 6:06
3 Overlooked 6:27
4 Forget About It 4:13
5 Feliz 7:06
6 Departures and Arrivals 6:50
7 Do Me a Favel 6:30
8 Countryside Motorway 3:51
9 Bat Ya'am 3:54
10 April is Totally a Blur 4:16
11 Making Tidal Waves 6:54
12 Lick Your Toad 7:37
(1,2,4,8) by Ezequiel Hezi Jait (ACUM)
(3,5,6) by Mattan Klein & Ezequiel Hezi Jait (ACUM)
(7,9,10,11,12) by Mattan Klein (ACUM)
Performers:
ZURHUB is:
Mattan Klein - flute
Ezequiel Hezi Jait - guitar
Itay Simhovich - piano and Fender Rhodes
Assaf Hakimi - bass
Dani Benedikt - drums and percussion
Production Info:
Produced by Mattan Klein and Ezequiel Hezi Jait
Recorded by Bill Tsur
at Haogen Studios, Haogen, Israel
October 31 - November 1, 2024
Mixed & mastered by Bill Tsur
at Bliss Studio, Ness Ziona, Israel
Band photo by Ami Vardi
Cover design & layout by John Bishop
Reviews of Countryside Motorways
Jazz Weekly (George Harris)
Consisting of Mattan Klein/fl, Eqequiel Hezi Jait/g, Itay Simhovich/p-key, Assaf Hakimi/b and Dani Benedikt/dr-perc, the band Zurhub gracefully bops and swings through an album of lithe originals. There's a nice collection of sambas and bossas that have Klein blowing like a summer breeze over Jait's strums on "Feliz" and" Bat Ya'Am" while "Overlook ...
Paris Move (Thierry De Clemensat)
A Worldly Soundtrack: Mattan Klein and Ezequiel Hezi Jait's "Countryside Motorways" Offers a Panoramic Jazz Journey. 4-STARS
Composer and flutist Mattan Klein, a man of many cultures and wide musical reach, is the creative force behind ZurHub, a genre-defying collective of musicians that draws from far more than its Israeli roots. Co-founded i ...
All About Jazz (Edward Blanco)
Israeli flautist Mattan Klein and fellow Jerusalem native guitarist Ezequiel Hezi Jait, based in both Tel Aviv and New York, present a stunning musical portrait on Countryside Motorways, blending the rhythms of Brazil with Israeli folk and classical music while drawing influence from legendary composers such as Hermeto Pascoal and the incomparable ...
