Anat Cohen

Great selection! It's a terrific CD Her rhythm section is killer. Benny Green is one of my favorite pianists. Also out 'Poetica' -- my favorite jazz recording of 2009 and 'Braid' which she recorded with her siblings.

I've got a great Anat Cohen story. She does a killer version of my favorite Coltrane song "Lonnie's Lament" on the Poetica CD. So I emailed her from her website to tell her how much I liked the song. Half an hour later she sends me an email thanking me. So I email her back and mention that other than my son, she is my favorite clarinet player. Next thing I know, she's worked up the chart for the song and has sent it to my son so he can play it for me!

So a few months later I take my son to hear her at Jazz Alley. We introduce ourselves before the show and she spends time talking to my son. After the first set we buy the Clarinetwork CD and she autographs it for me and spends another 20 minutes talking to my son about practicing and jazz! My son was on cloud 9 for a week after the show and of course, had to tell the story to his buddies in his high school jazz band.