Two Roses Avishai Cohen & Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra

• 1 Almah Sleeping 03:59
• 2 When I'm Falling 03:52
• 3 Song for My Brother 04:45
• 4 Two Roses (Shnei Shoshanim) 04:24
• 5 Nature Boy 04:33
• 6 Emotional Storm 07:14
• 7 Puncha Puncha 06:24
• 8 Arab Medley 05:17
• 9 A Child Is Born 08:35
• 10 Alon Basela 04:55
• 11 Morenika 04:11
• 12 Nature Talking 04:16
• Total Runtime 01:02:25

Info for Two Roses

Many musicians dream of making a record with a symphony orchestra, but few can afford to make it a reality. Thanks to an extraordinary ability to compose melodies that take root in his listeners’ minds and because he has, for years, patiently performed these compositions on stage to the point where they are practically a part of him, Avishai Cohen was well-positioned to execute such an ambition. As Cohen himself notes, his songs seem predisposed to adaptation at an orchestral scale, and the fact that they retain the same intensity that has provoked such widespread admiration demonstrates the vigor of his music.

Avishai Cohen had been dreaming of this experience for over a decade. Two Roses is the result of a long process, with his trio and his collaboration with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Hanson, Cohen proves that this foray into classical music was not a passing whim but rather a sincere expression of his desire to remain free from the boundaries of “genre” — a term he admits to loathing.

Cohen’s music is an intricate tapestry of global and historical influence. A master of Afro- Caribbean music, Cohen has absorbed its complexity to the point that it has had an enduring impact on the rhythmic designs he creates for his trio, and a lasting effect on his musical contemporaries. “Playing and singing one’s own music with a symphony orchestra is something special, it’s an experience that is as strong as it is specific,” says Cohen.

Cohen did not embark on this adventure alone. His trusted trio includes two musicians for whom he is full of praise. Azerbaijani pianist Elchin Shirinov, who appeared on Cohen’s previous record, Arvoles, plays with lyricism and clarity. And New Jersey – native drummer Mark Guiliana, with whom Cohen revolutionized the trio’s approach in the 2000s, protects the groove and rhythmic sharpness specific to Cohen’s music. And of course, there are the 92 talented women and men of the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra.

“An orchestra has its own rhythm,” he explains. “Of course, 92 people won’t play a beat like two or three people would. There’s a kind of inertia, which you have to get used to, and you have to understand how they breathe. It’s like a horse, at once beautiful, powerful and delicate. “When you listen to this record, it feels like embracing a journey, entering my world, in a deeper and denser way,” he says.

On Two Roses, the only things that count are performance, emotion and the personal expression of a citizen of the world who sees music as his only true homeland.

Avishai Cohen, double bass
Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Hanson, conductor

Avishai Cohen
born in Israel in 1970, is considered one of the best bass players of the world. His popularity worldwide comes from his musician talent and from his unique composition capacity, that gives originality to his pieces. After years of study and after moving in New York, in 1996 his musical career took off thanks to a collaboration with the famous American pianist Chick Corea.

Cohen reached the most important jazz festivals worldwide and, under Corea’s label Stretch Records, released his first four albums as a leader.


He worked with many great musicians such as Bobby McFerrin, Herbie Hancock, Danilo Pérez, Roy Hargrove, Paquito D’Rivera, Alicia Keys, just to name a few, with the London Symphony Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. He recently worked at his album Almah, which took Cohen’s career at higher level, celebrating it with an instrumental ensemble that combines a string quartet and an oboe to his trio. At present, Avishai Cohen is on a new world tour and will perform for Visioninmusica with the Avishai Cohen Trio to present the album From Darkness.

Booklet for Two Roses