Dreams I Dream

4-STARS For me, it's always surprising how many first-class musicians and bands come from Israel, offering innovative sounds, including saxophonist Alon Farber, who founded his quartet Hagiga back in 2001 and has recorded four albums. Now his fifth album has been released, once again underscoring Farber's creativity and ability to create a unified work of art from very different musical styles and traditions. His long-time, outstanding collaborators contribute to this: Katia Toobool, who delivers virtuosic solos; Assaf Hakimi, a technically and intonationally brilliant bassist; and Yonatan Rosen, a rhythmically adept drummer. The whole thing is a collaborative project, even though Farber's name is prominently featured. He himself shines with his playing on three saxophones, sometimes using overdubbing, with the soprano sax taking center stage in three and the alto sax in five compositions.

Musical highlights include the ballads "Mingus Dreams" with a sensitive alto sax solo and the romantic "Theme For Einat" with a lyrical soprano sax solo, alongside which the bass and piano also shine. Farber's quartet also impresses in the swinging tracks such as "Minor Trap," where all four deliver brilliant solos, the Monk-inspired "Cookies" with a furious alto sax solo, and the Latin American-tinged "Minorism."