Anat Cohen

Biography         Originally from Tel Aviv, Anat Cohen has performed around the world sharing her astounding musicianship. From Europe to Asia , from the Middle East to South America, Anat is rapidly becoming a major force on the global world music and jazz scene. Aside from her extraordinary instrumental abilities on soprano and tenor saxes, clarinet and flute, she has a natural ability to absorb the music of different cultures, process it and interpret it with her own special take. After performing extensively in Israel, Anat Cohen spent 2 years as a saxophonist and clarinetist with the Israeli Air Force Big Band. A scholarship to the Berklee College of Music brought her to Boston, MA in 1996. Since graduating with her BA in Professional Music from Berklee, Anat moved to New York City where she continues to perform with

various bands in the city as well as keeping a busy global touring schedule. For the past six years, Anat has been a member of DIVA and Five Play. Anat is featured on their latest CD, Sherrie Maricle & the DIVA Jazz Orchestra, Live in Concert. While with DIVA, Anat has had the opportunity to perform with guest artists such as Nancy Wilson, Dave Brubeck, Slide Hampton and Diane Schuur. Ms. Cohen is an integral part of a group called Choro Ensemble, the only New York based ensemble dedicated to the authentic instrumental choro tradition of Brazil. The group was a featured guest artist at the Apollo Theater with Wynton Marsalis and the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra. Anat has begun to perform as a band leader in New York City clubs marked by the debut performance of her Quartet at Sweet Rhythm in 2004. Her current duo project with pianist Alon Yavnai is receiving great acclaim and the their debut CD Duo is scheduled for release in Spring 2004. Anat also appears together with her two brothers, Yuval Cohen and Avishai Cohen on BMG's CD Summa Cum Jazz. The three Cohen's debut CD, One is scheduled for release in February 2004. Anat has been a member of Duduka Da Fonseca's NY Samba Jazz (Brazilian Jazz), Brazooca Band (Brazilian Pop Music, Argentinean pianist/composer Pablo Ablanedo's Octet (From Down There, Alegria CDs are out on Fresh Sound), Mango Blue - Afro Latin Band led by Ecuadorian Bassist Alex Alvear, and has recorded and toured with Colombian bassist/composer Juan Sebastian Monsalve (Bunde Nebuloso with Jason Lindner and Jeff Ballard). As a guest artist, Anat has performed with many notable ensembles and orchestras including The New York Pops, The Binghamton Philharmonic Orchestra and with such artists as Flip Phillips, Bucky Pizzarelli, Ruby Braff, Jamey Haddad, Louis Hayes, Arnie Lawrence, Rachel Z, Ingrid Jensen Yamandu Costa, and Cyro Baptista. The winner of several prestigious awards, her playing has received accolades from reviewers like Jon Pareles, Nat Hentoff, Dan Morgenstern, and many more. She is an innovator who also understands and respects the value of preserving traditional musical forms. Hearing Anat today, it is clear that we will be hearing a lot about her in years to come.