Uriel Herman: Different Eyes (UBU0136)

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of the highly gifted Israeli pianist and composer, Uriel Herman and his quartet, featuring trumpet player Itamar Borochov. The album, Different Eyes, is scheduled for release on 7th July 2023.

Uriel Herman has been performing worldwide--with his quartet and as a soloist--over the past eight years. His sound draws from his classical piano upbringing with a mastery of complex Middle Eastern rhythms and melodies.

“Many musicians can create the obvious. Only few can make every gesture, every note, every moment and every choice not only brilliant, but as if it were the only possibility. Tonight, Uriel Herman’s quartet smashed the gigantic door…” 

Alexandre Fournet, “Eclats’demail Jazz edition” (France)

Uriel describes the idea behind Different Eyes, his upcoming album: "We all have one pair of eyes but there are countless layers of seeing. We can see or choose to look. Our memories and dreams are painted in different colours every time we visit them and therefore each moment gives a singular meaning to looking in and out. ‘Different Eyes’ is an intimate portrait that begins in my childhood streets of Jerusalem and goes all the way to a lullaby that I sing to my son.” 

The line-up for Different Eyes, Uriel’s third album, consists of Uriel Herman/piano, Itamar Borochov/trumpet, Uriel Weinberger/woodwinds, Avri Borochov/contrabass, Haim Peskoff/drums and Maayan Doari/percussion.

Uriel continues: “It begins with memories. ‘Jerusalem’, a duet with Trumpeter Itamar Borochov, is a melody inspired by fragments of my childhood memories from Jerusalem streets. The two continue into a fragile rendition of ‘Nature Boy’. Then comes the Quartet with ‘MJ’, a tribute to Michael Jordan, one of the greatest American basketball players of all time.

“When we close our eyes, we open a door to dreams, fantasies, illusion and more. In a way, they give us a new pair of eyes. This forms in the shape of ‘Fantasia’, and in pieces written for my band that explore complex rhythms and grooves. Among them is an interpretation of Nirvana’s ‘Polly’. The last song on the album is ‘Yakinton’.”

Uriel shares his view on his new partnership with Ubuntu Music: “I’m really excited about the relationship with Ubuntu. They are one of the only labels that understand the direction that the industry is headed. And I believe that together we will release some unbelievably beautiful music.”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, concludes: “I initially met Uriel in 2022 at the Jazzahead international conference in Bremen, Germany. I was immediately struck by the passion of this young artist, along with his ambitions for his career. As the recordings progressed, I was mesmerised by the depth, the beauty and the intensity of Uriel’s compositions and his performance of these. There is something very special here, for all the world to enjoy. We welcome Uriel to the Ubuntu Music Family.”

BIOGRAPHY

In January 2019 Uriel released his most recent title, Face to Face, with the French label, Laborie Jazz. The album is comprised of Uriel’s original music and unique arrangements to songs by David Bowie and Mordechai Zeira.

“In ‘Face to Face’, Herman throws himself into an oriental cauldron and ‘hears’ in a colourful virtuosity. Uriel’s version of Bowie’s ‘The Man Who Sold the World’ is one of the best covers in the history of broadly understood entertainment music!”

Marcin Puławski Laboratorium Muzycznych, (Poland)

“It is one of the richest, most creative and interesting albums I’ve recently heard in the jazz, classical, ethnic and rock seams.”

Yossi Harsonski, Haronski Music (Israel)

Also in 2019, Herman was commissioned by the Jenaer Philharmonic Orchestra to write three pieces for a jazz quartet and orchestra titled “The Dialogues”. The pieces were played with the orchestra as part of Jazzmeile Thuringen Festival in Weimar.

The Uriel Herman Quartet was created following the recording of Uriel’s first album, Awake. Since then, the quartet has been travelling across the world, performing in major festivals and venues, including The Forbidden City Concert Hall (Beijing, China), Festival Jazz Sous Les Pommiers (Coutances, FR), Centro Cultural Kirchner (Argentina), Stanford University (CA, USA), Jarasum Jazz Festival (South-Korea), Taichung Jazz Festival (Taiwan), Festival Eclats d’Email Jazz (Limoges, FR), Duc de Lombards (Paris, FR), Red Sea Jazz Festival (Eilat, Israel) and many more.

In early 2017, Uriel composed a rhapsody for Jazz Quartet & Orchestra: White Night. This piece was the result of a long journey he started in the jungles of Costa Rica as he underwent a shamanic ceremony with his father. For him, this was a life-changing moment, sending him into a deep writing and composing process which led to this 21-minute rhapsody.

“The pianist-leader brought a classical touch and mastery of complex rhythms to an exhilarating programme of ‘Bach-to-Brazil’”

Bob Weiri, Jazz Journal UK

In mid-2015 the quartet recorded a live session in the Montefiore Windmill in Jerusalem in front of a small audience of friends and family. The Windmill Sessions led the quartet to international recognition, followed by headline spots on major jazz festivals in Asia, Europe and the US.

In 2014, Uriel released his first solo album, Awake, which led to the creation of The Uriel Herman Quartet and was named one of Israels’ Top Five Albums of The Year. The album contains original compositions, arrangements to songs by Nirvana and Radiohead, as well as new melodies set to poems by Israeli poets, Yehuda Amichai and Tirza Attar.

“This singular and modern approach to music, reinforced by the passion and dexterity of the musicians who accompany it, makes Uriel Herman one of the most exciting pianists in the jazz scene today and an unavoidable discovery. “

France Musique

Uriel is a graduate of the Jerusalem Music Academy and studied composition under composers Prof. Andre Hajdu and Prof. Michael Wolpe. He also studied piano with the internationally renowned pianist Ilana Vered as well as with Prof. Assaf Zohar. He has played in classical music recitals as a solo pianist at the Perugia Music Festival in Italy and the Moulin d’Andé Festival in France, amongst others.