| Summary: | Klein's highly personal arrangements are built on a base of melodic abstraction, but one whose intensity remains high. This has led to suggestions that he combines something of the introspection of European conservatoire culture and the muscle of the US. Indeed, the Israeli pianist upped sticks and moved to New York in his early 20s. It is a path well-travelled, but one that has certainly worked for Israelis, most notably perhaps Avishai Cohen, with whom he played with once reaching the top echelons of the NYC jazz scene. Here, we catch up with him in 2017, where he is joined by Haggai Cohen Milo on bass and Amir Bresler on drums. They start off by working up a slow groove while Omer uses drumsticks to play percussion on top of his keyboard, before his hands melt into the keys, melody and rhythm seeming to blend into one singular force. It is immensely satisfying to listen to, and the precision is marked by a real playfulness throughout. **Rowan Standish Hayes**.
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