Asaf Harris / Walk of The Ducks

6th May 2022

CD & Digital Formats / UBU0109

Ubuntu Music is proud to announce the signing of the talented young saxophonist, Asaf Harris, for the release of his debut album, Walk of The Ducks, on 6th May 2022.

Asaf is an Israeli musician and composer based in Brooklyn, New York. He gained considerable experience in prestigious jazz clubs and festivals worldwide including Birdland, Beit Haamudim, Bern Jazz Festival, and the Red Sea Jazz Festival. He played alongside leading jazz musicians such as Ofer Ganor, Hal Galper, Abraham Burton, and ‘Avi Leibovich and the Israeli Jazz Orchestra’.

Asaf is a recipient of the America-Israel Cultural Foundation scholarship and was Awarded with Excellence Scholarship by the Center for Jazz Studies at the Israel Conservatory for Music in Tel Aviv.

Asaf has experience with film-scoring and orchestral arranging. He scored music for two award-winning documentary films ("Truth, Nothing But..." - 2014 & "Sulha" - 2016) and arranged music for the Israel Police Orchestra and for The New School Studio Orchestra conducted by Mr. Arturo O'Farrill.

In the Spring of 2020, Harris graduated from the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music in New York, receiving the ‘John Coltrane Award’ for outstanding performers/composers/improvisers.

Asaf Harris (Photographer Yossi Zwecker)

In August 2020, Asaf recorded his debut original album, Walk of The Ducks. He describes the project: “The idea behind ‘Walk of The Ducks’ is to make an album that is sincerely me. It concludes some of the most powerful experiences and emotions I have had in my journey of life. I strongly believe that composing and playing music is my best way for self-expression, and I can’t wait to share this album with the world.”

Asaf continues: “In March 2020, when this world crisis started, I decided to temporarily leave my home in NYC and go back to my homeland - Israel. During this time, while accepting the new condition, I experienced some difficulties with my creativity and with my artistic passion. Those feelings have passed when I have decided to take advantage of these weird and uncertain times, to record and produce my debut original album with my dear quintet.

Left to right: Ofek Ariov, Asaf Harris, David Sirkis, Nitzan Bar, Omri Hadani, Guy Moskovich (Photographer Yuval Peleg)

“After working for months on funding, composing, arranging, orchestrating, rehearsing, and many others, in August 2020 I managed to record my debut album at the best recording studios in Israel - Bardo Studios. It was sound engineered by Ofek Ariov, a dear childhood friend of mine. The album features Nitzan Bar on guitar, Guy Moskovich on piano, Omri Hadani on contrabass, David Sirkis on drums, and myself on saxophone. The band has been playing together since 2016, and it is based on a deep connection and friendship.

“This kind of project requires a long process of experimenting with the materials. For example, one of my compositions in the album - ‘The Gate Keeper’ - is written about the protest of Summer 2020 in Israel against the Israeli government. To empower this musical composition, I decided to go and record protest sounds in every protest, from June till August, and combine them into a “sound composition” that will work linearly with the recording.”

Music is one form of artistic expression. By combining different musical and personal influences into an original sound, I aspire to characterize a unique voice that has a signature of its own. The album contains many political messages and criticism. In May 2020, I flew back to New York City to empty my apartment in Brooklyn, one day before the murder of George Floyd. The piece ‘Helen Court 2020’ (Helen Court is the name of my building in Brooklyn) is written about these three weeks I spent there, in the middle of the biggest health crisis in over 100 years, while the streets were burning and the protests were at their peak. This experience has opened my eyes and changed forever the way I look at the world. The composition is written in a concerto format and divided into three different parts. The first part is full of mystery and uncertainness, followed by the second part, which is stormy and full of anger, while the third and last part is comforting and full of optimism.

“All of the pieces in the album came out of personal experiences. For example, ‘Walk of The Ducks’ (which is also the name of the album) is about a magical night in Tel Aviv a few years ago. It was a day before I left Israel for New York and had to break up with my girlfriend whom I loved very much. We were sitting by the Yarkon River when suddenly a group of five ducks came out of the water and started to march through the streets of Tel Aviv. At that moment, this unusual phenomenon felt very symbolic. The piece was arranged for three saxophones - soprano, alto, and tenor. It features Yehonatan Cohen on soprano saxophone and Yuval Drabkin on alto saxophone.”

Asaf concludes, describing his new relationship with Ubuntu Music: “I am very excited and honoured about my new relationship with Ubuntu Music. Getting my first album released on such a great record label is truly a dream coming true. I am thankful for Mr. Martin Hummel’s trust in this project, and I can’t imagine a better home for my debut album.”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, shares his thoughts: “I initially met Asaf through some Israeli jazz musicians we know. Immediately, I was struck by his deep, passionate commitment to his project which was meticulously brought to life by the shape of his compositions and the overall quality of the music. We’re both highly emotional people, which is yet another reason for the desire to work together on this project. It’s a pleasure to have Asaf join the Ubuntu Music Family.”

For further information, please contact:

Asaf Harris (Artist) asafharris1@gmail.com

Emma Perry (UK Publicity) emmasarahperry@gmail.com

Martin Hummel/Ubuntu Music (Worldwide): martin@ubuntumanagementgroup.com

The Mattan Klein Quartet

The Long Run

14th January 2022

CD & Digital Formats / UBU0099

Mattan Klein (Photographer: Gad Gershon)

Ubuntu Music is delighted to announce the signing of the very talented Israeli composer and flutist, Mattan Klein, for the release of his quartet album, The Long Run, on 14th January 2022.

Mattan was born and raised in Jerusalem. He studied at the Rubin Academy in Jerusalem and had graduated with honours from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. He is the winner of the 1st prize in the 2018 international ‘7 Virtual Jazz Club Web Community Award’. His original compositions have also earned awards such as the John Lennon Song Writing Contest and the USA Song Writing Competition. 

Mattan received scholarships from the AICF, The Municipality of Jerusalem and the Israeli Ministry of Culture.  He is also the Recipient of the ACUM Scholarships for emerging artists (the Israeli Agency for Composers and Musicians).

Mattan Klein (Photographer: Yosi Zwecker)

Mattan performed on various international stages, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Kennedy Center in Washington, NJPAC, and more. He has recorded for a number of record labels, including SONY and Helicon Records.

In 2016, Mattan was a featured soloist with the United Kingdom Jazz Flute Big Band and his music and arrangements were performed at the London Jazz Festival 2016. Mattan's Quintet headlined the Tel Aviv International Jazz Festival in 2017 and featured vocalist Tammy Scheffer. Mattan performed at the London Jazz Festival, The Philadelphia International Jazz Festival, Chicago Israeli Jazz Festival, Jazz Education Network Conferences in New Orleans 2017 and 2020, Albania Jazz Festival 2019, Tel Aviv Jazz Festival on numerous occasions, and at the Israel Festival in Jerusalem, collaborating with international virtuosos such as Nicola Stilo, Mirko Signorile and Rodrigo Ursaia. His Quartet will be featured at the Red Sea Jazz Festival in November 2021.

The Long Run, Mattan’s latest project, features several his regular musicians, including Toki Stern (Rhodes), Yoni Ben Ari (bass) and Joca Perpignan (percussion), with special guest Nitzan Bar (guitar). Mattan’s music has been described by Yossi Harsonsky, Senior Music critic at Maariv, as, “flowing, bright and listener friendly…his flute sound is clear, crispy and melodic, and the Israeli-Brazilian mix is the ultimate contemporary jazz sound, spiced with warm, unique flute sounds…Klein's virtuoso improvisation lifts Jazz-flute playing to new heights."

Describing his music and the new relationship with Ubuntu Music, Mattan shares his views: “Music is the ultimate means of connecting between souls. Words can only go so far, but music waves have the power to unite and bring a real change. When I realised how close I felt to Ubuntu’s motto I also noticed how accurately I was trying to live my life and create my music in accordance to this special word. Becoming a part of the Ubuntu Music Family is a most natural way for me to close a circle, to deliver this message of unity and equality with the right team of incredible thinkers and dreamers.”

Martin Hummel, Director of Ubuntu Music, shares his thoughts: “It was an honour and exceedingly pleasant surprise to be introduced to Mattan and his multi-cultural blend of flute-led jazz music which feeds the head and the heart with something very special. We are so happy that Mattan has joined the Ubuntu family.”