Gilad Hekselman - Far Star

May 9, 2022

Label: Edition Records, 2022

Personnel - Gilad Hekselman: guitar, bass, keys; Eric Harland: drums; Shai Maestro: keys; Nomok: synth; Amir Bresceron: drums, percussion; Nathan Schram: viola, violin; Oren Hardy: bass; Alon Benjamini: percussion.

Gilad Hekselman, an outstanding guitarist born in Israel and based in New York, makes his debut on the British label Edition Records with Far Star, an album that shifts into new musical directions. The tracks comprising this work developed from ‘song demos’ accumulated in his computer due to the pandemic, and according to his own words, are about his ability to travel with his imagination.

A small number of guests are featured, one of them being the drummer Eric Harland (Charles Lloyd, Chris Potter, Dave Holland), who lays down a sort of Afrobeat vibe on the opening track, “Long Way From Home”. Employing a whistled simple melody as a starting point, this piece is impeccably layered with a frisky bass pulse and a particular guitar sound that seems to draw from country jazz. Hekselman’s improvisation is modern and catchy, and the atmosphere reaches an epic, cinematic climax before resting on the triple time drumming of Harland. The latter is equally outstanding in the following “Fast Moving Century”, a sequence of collages where electronica and underground hip-hop influences are burned through until the more rock-inclined denouement. Besides the drum swells amplifying the picture, there’s also the mutable keyboard work of Shai Maestro.

“I Didn’t Know” is an acoustic dreamscape that unfolds with a nice melody over a smooth underpinning, whereas the title track chooses melancholic notes to build a poignant narrative. The strings of Nathan Schram gives it a touch, together with the Brazilian rhythm that appears halfway, fruit of the bass and percussion of Oren Hardy and Elon Benjamin, respectively.

The second half of the record is very strong, and the variety of sounds is not by chance, emerging organically and stirring emotional hues that make us want to discover more. This is the case with “Magic Chord”, a riff-centered piece delivered with a polyrhythmic feel and a propensity for fusion; and “Rebirth”, a beautifully cooked recipe that mystifies with sonic details and the cutting-edge rhythm engendered by Israeli drummer Ziv Ravitz in his single appearance on the album. Also, “The Headrocker”, a soulful blues-rock-meets-jazz number, thrives with the participation of keyboardist Nomok and drummer Amir Bresceron.

The music on Far Star is more than soloing or showing off technical skills. It’s a kaleidoscopic journey into the creative mind of Hekselman, whose highly contemporary vision is executed with expertise and the valuable support from his peers.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Long Way From Home ► 07 - The Headrocker ► 08 - Rebirth

Trio Grande - Trio Grande

December 22, 2020

Label: Whirlwind Recordings, 2020

Personnel - Will Vinson: tenor and soprano saxophones; Gilad Hekselman: guitar; Antonio Sanchez: drums.

Virtuosic things are expected to be found when we hear Trio Grande, a collaborative bass-less trio of high-caliber bandleaders with different backgrounds and influences. In fact, the New York-based group co-led by British saxophonist Will Vinson, Israeli guitarist Gilad Hekselman and powerhouse Mexican drummer Antonio Sanchez, doesn’t disappoint, setting out an aesthetic stall that suits their rare flexibility and vision.

Their eponymous album kicks in with Sanchez’s “Northbound”, a marvel of a piece that slickly walks groovy avenues while blending jazz and rock physiognomies into a distinct contemporary character. Expect enthralling sax/guitar parallelism, an adventurous soprano solo and roiling drum work in due time.

The drummer also brings “Firenze”, a composition that was previously recorded with the sax player Joe Lovano and bassist John Patitucci, and in this version, ends up in a trance-like circumnavigation that invites us to dance; and “Gocta”, a rhythmic spectacle in seven that manages to knit sluggish and energetic threads together. The immensity of ‘lost’ chords infuses a spatial volubility that contrasts with the quicksilver forcefulness of the pulse and texture. Here, the group seems to explore possibilities within the rock, post-bop, dance music, and avant-garde spheres.

Hekselman’s punctilious “Elli Yeled Tov” champions Israeli folklore, yet, in a way, it brings Lionel Loueke-vibes to mind as it flourishes with a celebratory rhythm, clapping, and expressive staccato melody.

Vinson contributes two pieces to the program. Whereas “Oberkampf” soars with melancholic crispness and evocative riffs, “Upside”, retrieved from his 2016 album Perfectly Out Of Place, is gracefully grounded, shaping up as an odd-metered blues.

Both the guitarist and the drummer are responsible for the rocky backbones of each tune, and on the vibrating “Scoville”, a tribute to master guitarist John Scofield, they really funk things up, capturing the latter’s jazz-funk vibe by bombarding fuzzy sounds and preserving elasticity in the dynamics. The shifts in ambiance operated by Sanchez feel great here, and his drum fills are momentous. He and his associates have fun during the conclusive vamp, assuredly built to keep things rockin’.

The eight pieces on this record are representative of these musicians’ artistic credibility.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - Northbound ► 05 - Scoville ► 06 - Gocta

Gilad Hekselman - Ask For Chaos

August 28, 2018

Label: Hexophonic/Motema Music, 2018

Personnel - Gilad Hekselman: guitar; Aaron Parks: keyboards; Rick Rosato: bass; Jonathan Pinson: drums; Kush Abadey: drums.

The demand for and accomplishment of New York-based jazz guitar stylist Gilad Hekselman, a native from Israel, is a predicted reward for his enormous talent.

Comprising 10 striking originals brought into play by two distinct new trios, Ask For Chaos is to be released on his own imprint Hexophonic Music in partnership with Motema Music. Following the classic guitar formation, The gHex Trio features bassist Rick Rosato and drummer Jonathan Pinson, whereas the adventurous bass-free ZuperOctave has Aaron Parks on keyboards and Kush Abadey on drums. Strategically, Hekselman interspersed the work of both bands so surprising effects hailed from the contrasting sounds could be a constant.

The album kicks off in ZuperOctave-mode with “Prolog00001101”, a 23-second exercise on guitar pointillism mixed with a binary-patterned electronic vibe that clearly alludes to digital technology. This piece serves as an introduction to “VBlues”, an asymmetric blues with round and methodical funky bass lines and conspicuous hi-hat monitoring the pulse. Displaying his terrific technique, Hekselman naturally builds a highly developed vocabulary with an incredible sound and extremely tasteful guitar effects. Although the melodic paths of the blues throughout the theme are easily identifiable, the piece sounds unconventionally agreeable through shifting tempos, hauntingly scintillating chord changes, and the alternation of passages that range from strenuous to delicate.

The other pieces delivered by ZuperOctave are the well-cooked “Tokyo Cookie”, where pinpointed keyboard and guitar sounds give its place to a blend of acid funk and electronica before veering again toward a prog rock direction; “Stumble”, a downbeat item based on Wayne Shorter’s “Fall”, which still allows the shinning rays of the sun crossing through its texture; “Home To You”, an enchanting song harmonically driven by Parks’ tonal chords and with improvisational guitar-piano interspersion; and the lifting “Clap Clap”, a crossover jazz celebration with Metheny-esque passages and an impactful percussive work by Abadey.

The gHex Trio starts with the hopeful ballad “It Will Be Better”, featuring Rosato’s hefty bass solo over a moderately intensive yet texturally rich guitar-drums accompaniment; the sparkling Brazilian-jazz of “Milton”, a tribute to the musical genius of Milton Nascimento; the folk-tinged “Little Song For You”; and the country pop feel of “Do Re Mi Fa Sol”, whose indelible melody can be easily whistled.

The two trios cohabit the same space seamlessly, creating a diverse program outlined with fresh artistic ideas. This is definitely a career peak for Hekselman, an already consummate young guitarist whose fulfilling music consolidates rock-steady rhythmic engagement and singing quality.

Favorite Tracks:
01 - VBlues ► 04 - Tokyo Cookie ► 07 - Home To You