Ofir Shwartz
Reviews
Trio – Media
MusikReview.DE, Germany
“One of the most exciting genre albums of the year”
"Stunning solos, flowing arrangements - fabulous disc"
"Shades Of Fish is an album that brims with details; it is played with incredible nuances
during the opening piece, the amazing bass syncopations in When It Ends, or the painted
sides of the rare Scandinavian-sounding Last Journey“
JazzPort, Czech Republic
“Fabulous jazz from Israel”
“As the pianist and the author of the ten compositions album Ofir Shwartz had caught a
goldfish, in return for a return to the sea fulfilled one of only wishful thinking: shoot an
extremely slick jazz album ...”
“This young jazz trio soak up other genres into their music, and with absolute ease and
natural brilliance the trio is crowned with every sincere imaginary artistic courage.”
“The second album Ofir Shwartz Trio Shades Of Fish for me is one of the biggest surprises
of jazz! I found not a single weak link here, or flash of mediocrity, each piece is
unpredictable, novel and masterfully built, apparently from a clear creative vision.”
“industrial-rhythm as tense as a motive of Nirvana, and gradation to the free-jazz eruption
is exemplary killer right here!”
HMV, Japan
“Great leap forward of the Israeli talent that goes on”
“We are happy to present Ofir Shwartz, the new piano prodigy to rewrite the history of
jazz in a flexible and ever-changing style!”
“A talented musician that can play aggressive in a way that I cannot imagine from his calm
and intellectual looks. This man will certainly lead the contemporary jazz scene ahead in
his near-acrobatic way.”
“Perfect for people who loves the work of The Bad Plus and Esbjorn Svensson Trio.”
The Jazz Times, USA
“The trio gallops at a swift pace from the interesting bass lines into fluid trio music and
fascinating piano improvisations. A modern piano trio that remembers how to swing...
Catchy and energetic music that should appeal to pretty much everyone...”
Press review of a Jazz festival concert, Russia
“We had the privilege attending a concert of the next generations of world jazz. Ofir
Shwartz Trio has left us with no doubts - jazz music has much more to tell..”
SkJazz, Slovak
“Album Shades of Fish brings a vibrant and exciting jazz with lots of varying rhythms and
moves in a wide range of fragile melodies to dissonance and imaginative improvisation
ensemble.”
HisVoice, Czech Republic
“All three instruments have enough space for brilliant soloing, although they do not try
to overly demonstrate their abilities rather than supporting each composition through
its flowing harmony. “
“This brilliantly orchestrated trio does not violate his instruments with over enthusiasm,
instead play with rhythmical vigor, and thoroughbred melodies.”
“The Trio can be sure to find not only the melody and fluency, but also a perfect
admixture of European tension and release, rather than American jazz tradition.”
Jazz.SK, Slovak
“The album is dominated by well composed songs, uncluttered, albeit at times perhaps a
little cliche diatonic harmony and melody, in which you will hear sophisticated jazz,
klezmer as well as classical music and mood of film music.”
“Simply, Ofir Shwartz Trio combine the most popular genres across the artistic value in a
good, intimate sound of a jazz trio”
"A small cast which excel on solo performances of the pianist Ofir Shwartz as well as the
great bassist Gal Shaya, especially with their feeling for imaginative improvisation and
melody"
"Jazz fans will delight individual performance at the highest level, the wider masses will
fall for the clear and catchy musical language"
Wonderous Stories Jazz Blog, USA
“Ofir Shwartz's background in jazz and fusion can be clearly heard, in the stellar
keyboard virtuosity displayed here. He gives a rather new flavor, to a genre that's been
around awhile, through the brilliant addition of some more electronic elements. He
shows that you can teach an old genre some new tricks, and does it ever have a payoff.”