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Tuesday, November 21st, 2023, 7:30 pm
Piano on Park Live presents:
Yotam Ben-Or (harmonica) & Gabriel Chakarji (piano)
Yotam Ben-Or - harmonica/compositions
Gabriel Chakarji - piano
Gabriel and Yotam have been close friends and musical collaborators since 2014. They both moved to NYC that year from their home countries, Gabriel from Venezuela and Yotam from Israel, to finish their studies at The New School and pursue careers in music. Although the two grew up in very different parts of the world, they bonded over shared interests and worldviews and instantly connected on personal and musical levels. Throughout their musical journey they have been learning about each other's cultures and musical backgrounds and have developed a unique sound and a large repertoire of both original music and music by their favorite composers. Their music incorporates rhythms from the Caribbeans and other parts of Central and South America, and is strongly influenced by Black American Music and its improvisational aspect while paying great attention to the composition on all its levels. Yotam's harmonica brings the melodic richness and depth that is found in Jewish Music alongside Gabriel's phenomenal and versatile way of playing the piano.
About Yotam Ben-Or:
Internationally acclaimed harmonica player and composer Yotam Ben-Or is “playing at a level that, in my opinion, matches Stevie Wonder himself ״ (Bass Musician Magazine). The Israeli-Belgian musician was born and raised in Nataf, a small village in the Jerusalem area. He started playing the harmonica at the age of 11, taught by his uncle. After graduating high school, Ben-Or moved to Tel-Aviv to attend the collaborative program of the Tel-Aviv Conservatory and The New School for Jazz in New York. During his studies, Ben-Or performed throughout Israel and shared the stage with Israel’s finest musicians, received the America-Israel Grant between 2014-2016, won the first prize in the Rostov International Jazz competition (Russia 2013), and recorded with his group “Jupiter” for the album “All Original – Best Young Israeli Jazz, presented by Avishai Cohen” (2013). In August 2014, Ben-Or moved to NYC after receiving a full scholarship to study at The New School, where he graduated in May 2016. In March 2015 he attended Betty Carter Jazz Ahead at The Kennedy Center, directed by pianist Jason Moran. Since moving to NYC, Ben-Or has been performing with his group and as a sideman at prestigious venues and festivals in town such as: Jazz at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, Bric JazzFest, Blue Note. He also toured and performed at well known venues and festivals in Europe and Israel such as: Le Duc des Lombards, Festival Da Jazz St. Moritz, Tel-Aviv Piano Festival to name a few. Ben-Or had the privilege of being mentored by harmonicist Gregoire Maret since he was a teenager. He shared the stage with artists such as Edmar Castañeda, Silvana Estrada, Shai Maestro. Since 2015, Ben-Or has been making frequent trips to Central America to study and play different Afro Caribbean styles of music with masters such as Manley Lopez (Piri). In June 2018 Ben-Or released his debut album ‘Sitting on a Cloud’. In early 2022 he released two EP's, ‘Endless’ and 'Deliberations', on which he worked simultaneously.
About Gabriel Chakarji:
Gabriel Chakarji is a NYC-based pianist and composer known for his unique blend of Venezuelan and jazz music. He was recently featured on the album Fandango at the Wall in New York by Arturo O’Farrill & the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra which won a 2023 Grammy award.
Growing up in Caracas, Gabriel was exposed to a rich variety of musical styles, including Afro-Venezuelan folk, Caribbean, and Brazilian music, as well as jazz and gospel hymns. He eventually moved to New York City to explore new musical frontiers and has since performed at some of the city’s most iconic venues, including Carnegie Hall, Blue Note, and Dizzy’s Club. Gabriel has released two critically acclaimed albums as a bandleader: “Vida” and “New Beginning”. His composition “Enredadera” was nominated for best jazz single at the 20th edition of the Independent Music Awards in New York City. In 2022, Gabriel was awarded the prestigious Jazz Gallery Residency Commission and the ASCAP Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award.