Ten Questions For Jazz Guitarist Assaf Kehati, at the Waterloo Jazz Room May 11, 2013

ASSAF KEHATI: Jazz guitarist and composer Assaf Kehati arrived to the USA in 2007 and after a short time he has made waves in the jazz scene by working with such names as Ran Blake (piano), George Garzone (sax), Eli Degibri (sax), Ziv Ravitz (drums), Donny McCaslin (sax), Seamus Blake (sax) and legendary drummers Victor Lewis (Woody Shaw, Stan Getz) and Billy Hart (Miles Davis, Wes Montgomery). Mr. Kehati has performed at some of the world’s leading venues as Blue Note, NYC; Regattabar, Boston; Washington DC Jazz Festival; MuzEnergo Jazz Festival, Russia; New England Cable News, MA; Tel Aviv Museum, Israel; Barranquilla Jazz Festival, Colombia; and Toronto Jazz

Festival.

WHEN:

May 11, 2013 @ 8:30 pm – 11:30 pm

WHERE:The Jazz Room @ The Huether Hotel    www.kwjazzroom.com

KW Guitar Society 10 Questions for jazz guitarist Assaf Kehati      www.assafkehati.com

1. What guitars and amps do you own?

I play a Gibson ES-175 and a fender solid state amp.

2. What will be your set up this weekend?

I will be coming with my guitar, pedals, and will use the amp that the venue have.

3. How do you achieve your tone?(strings, pick, hands, effects, etc)

I achieve my tone mainly from the way I play in terms of phrasing, dynamics, the way I pick the notes and the way I play with my left hand.

4. Tell us about your original music?

My music is talking about a feeling, picture or scenario, among the songs we’ll play at the venue are “The Horses’ Fight”, “Naked”, “Beneath the Almond Tree”, and others. Each song has a story and I welcome everyone to come and listen to the stories, and of course, to hear the music.

5.  Tell us about your approach to playing standards?

I love playing standards and I always like to have a small twist with each song in order to glue the band together, create a challenge, and enhance the listening, and interplay.

6.  What are your favourite songs to play?

I like to play my materials, and other original materials by my colleagues. In terms of standards, the list is huge, but some names are Old Devil Moon, Angelica, Some Other Time, Long Ago and Far Away, All or Nothing at All, How Deep is the Ocean, etc.

7.  Do you have a favourite scale or lick that you play?  Or what was the jazz scale that really changed your playing?

I don’t have a particular scale or lick, I practice many approaches, sounds, etc. and try to play one organic solo with that on each song.

8. What guitarist, song or album inspires you?

I am inspired by many musicians, not only guitarists, some of them are Bill Evans, Ella Fitzgerald, Pat Metheny, Sonny Rollins, John Coltrane, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Sting, Vivaldi, and others.

9.  What do you do to practice technique? 

I do practice and play every single day but I don’t practice technique.

10. What can the audience expect to hear next Saturday?

A trio of that has a strong connection on and off stage.

I love this type of jazz, hope to see you there,

Stephen Zurakowsky

Artistic Director