Avishai Cohen was born and raised in Israel . He is most noted for combining
Middle Eastern and Israeli music with electric and acoustic jazz. One of Avishai's
greatest influences early in his lifetime was the great bass player Jaco Pastorius.
Cohen studied at the Music & Arts High School in Jerusalem and after two
years enlisted in the Israeli Army, Avishai moved to New York City . While in
New York , Avishai has had the opportunity to play with notables such as Ravi
Coltrane, Wynton Marsalis, Joshua Redman, Paquito D'Rivera, Roy Hargove and
Leon Parker. Cohen also worked with Panamanian pianist, Danilo Perez and was
later discovered by Chick Corea; becoming the bass player for Chick's ground
breaking group "Origin".
