YORON ISRAEL

INSPIRATION

Ronja Music Company

Yoron Israel, drums/vibraphone/composer/percussion/bandleader; Laszlo Gardony, piano; Ian Buss, tenor & soprano saxophone; Rick Peckham, guitar; Avery Sharpe, acoustic & electric bass; Leah Hinton, vocals; Dennis Montgomery, Hammond B3 Organ; Michon Young-Williams, background vocals.

“Inspiration” is the eighth album release for Yoron Israel. The opening tune is a song that celebrates the album’s title.  “Inspiration” sounds very spiritual, like something you would hear in church.  This makes perfect sense because Yoron Israel is the Pastor of Music and Arts at a Massachusetts church, as well as being one of jazz’s most versatile drummers.  On this tune he celebrates his talents on the vibraphone.

His dual life as both a jazz musician and inspired church musical pastor reworks some of his original compositions originally written for his congregation.  Yoron’s music on this project incorporates jazzy arrangements.  Take for instance, “Black Scholars” that begins with Israel’s drums making a bright and bold solo statement.  Enter Laszlo Gardony on piano, and the tenor saxophone solo of Ian Buss who introduces us to the melody. Gardony’s piano improvisation puts the “J” in jazz.  Avery Sharpe places his stamp on this tune, playing an improvised bass solo. Israel shines during his own solo drum excursion. This is a great jazz tune.

I was interested in hearing Yoron Israel’s take on the Michael Jackson tune, “Man in the Mirror.” The percussionist includes Jackson’s hit song in a medley that he titles “Mirror, Mirror/Man in the Mirror.”  After an opening of Chick Corea’s 1980 tune “Mirror Mirror,” he features the warm emotional vocals of Leah Hinton singing the Jackson pop hit. The guitar solo of Rick Peckham dances onto the scene and reinforces Isreal’s jazzy arrangement.

Hinton’s lovely voice moves from this pop presentation to sounding very jazzy singing the contemporary jazz standard by Ivan Lins, Vitor Martins, Alan & Marilyn Bergman, “The Island.”  Buss successfully adds his soprano saxophone to the mix.

“A Brand-New Joy” is an original composition by Israel. He has contributed four songs to this album.  The swing part of “A Brand-New Joy” dances with happiness. However, for me, the slow ballad introduction takes away from the joy reflected in Israel’s arrangement. Perhaps a saxophone solo would have been a stronger choice on this tune than the slightly off-pitch vocals.

The addition of Dennis Montgomery’s organ on Israel’s song “It’s All About You Lord” takes us back to his Christian roots.  Hinton’s voice is perfect on this song and the background voices of Hinton with Michon Young-Williams add color to the arrangement and enforce the lyrical message.

This album ends with “Nostrand Avenue” a composition that has an island groove and catchy melody. It reflects Yoron’s global influences.  His album moves across styles and genres. This diversity reflects the complexity of Yoron Israel’s drumming and composing talents.

Reviewed by Dee Dee McNeil

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