Pianist and composer Alon Nechushtan, a Tel Aviv native, presides over a talented crew of musicians that delivers the goods on his new album, Venture Bound (Enja). The album has a pleasing flow over its nine varied original tunes. Nechushtan — who also plays with his brother, Talot, in the klezmer band Talat — leads a group here that feature two tenor sax virtuosos, Donny McCaslin and John Ellis. Drummer Adam Cruz and basist Chris Lightcap nail down the bottom. “This record fuses a lot of my previous fascinations together,” says Nechushtan, who adds that this album represents an “experiment in bringing diversity in composition, instrumentation, approach and personnel.” — M.S.
(American Jewish World, 6.6.14)
