The third annual Levontin 7 Jazz Festival will take place at the titular Tel Aviv venue October 1-3. As per usual, club co-owner and avant garde saxophonist and bass clarinet player Assif Tsahar has lined up a quality spread of acts that feed off a range of jazz and jazz-associated endeavor.
The three-dayer opens, at 8 a.m., with veteran Jerusalemite bass player Tal Gamlieli and his trio. That will be followed by a threesome led by up-and-coming teenage guitarist Nitzan Bar, augmented by young double bass player Omri Hadani.
The genre structure stretches appreciably on the second evening, when pianist Omri Mor teams up with Ethiopian- born saxophonist Abate Barihon.
Mor initially trained as a classical musician before finding his way into more improvisational areas, thanks largely to the tutelage of late saxophonist and teacher Arnie Lawrence. Later Mor devised an intriguing blend of Andalusian music and jazz, which he calls AndalouJazz. For the Levontin date, Mor will blend his eclectic musical ethos with Barihon’s heady mix of Ethiopian blues-laced instrumental and vocal jazz offerings. The late show on October 2 will take the proceedings in Tsahar’s preferred, freer musical direction when he joins a bunch of pals in the Thelonious Monk Tribute, to mark the late great pianist’s 98th birthday.
The last evening takes in saxophonist Amit Freedman’s quartet, and a promising confluence between seasoned reedman Daniel Zamir and highly talented young pianist Tomer Bar. The festival will close in rip-roaring style with the cultured high-energy sounds and vibes of trombonist Avi Lebovich’s 13-piece orchestra, with Freedman, saxophonist Alon Farber, trombonist Yair Slutzky and guitarist Jonathan Albalak in the lineup.
For tickets and more information: (03) 560-5084 and www.levontin7.com.