Addis Ken

Drawing on Ethiopian Jewish liturgical traditions that stretch back several centuries, Abate Berihun's music often taps into emotions associated with communal or religious rites. Yearning, mostly in the religious sense, is a key facet of his repertoire and, hence, also the music of the Addis Ken Project, his new jazz improv collaboration which acts as a meeting ground for traditions spanning Africa and the Middle East. A quartet at its core, the Addis Ken Project's rhythm section of Roy Mor (piano), David Michaeli (bass) and Nitzan Birnbaum (drums) allows enough tether for Berihun's voices - his tenor and soprano saxophones and his singing - to explore a range of moods and styles while maintaining a breeziness. The addition of singer Rudi Bainesay on the songs 'Adam [Human]' and 'Behatitu Kadus Kadus' strengthens the album's blend of the contemporary and the ancient, which gently pulls the listener in until they are immersed. (8/10)