Oran Etkin: Gathering Light

Bass clarinetist Oran Etkin is a musician with his ears wide open, absorbing influences from west Africa, the Far East and Europe as well as his native Israel. All are deftly interwoven on the New Yorker's third release as a leader, a mix of originals and traditional tunes, impeccably played by a heavyweight quintet that also includes Beninese guitarist Lionel Loueke, bassist Ben Allison, drummer Nasheet Waits and trombonist Curtis Fowlkes. With such virtuosic talent at Etkin's command, it would have been easy to descend into showmanship, but his quirky tunes have the opposite effect on the musicians. This is world music in the true sense, not a lazy hybrid but a personal sound born out of deep respect for diverse musical traditions. oranetkin.com