| Eli Degibri | |
|---|---|
| Background information | |
| Born | May 3, 1978 |
| Origin | Jaffa, Israel |
| Genres | Jazz |
| Occupations | saxophonist, composer, arranger, bandleader |
| Instruments | Tenor Saxophone Soprano Saxophone Alto Saxophone |
| Labels | Anzic Recordz |
| Associated acts | Eli Degibri Quartet Eli Degibri Trio Al Foster Quartet Herbie Hancock Sextet |
| Website | http://www.degibri.com/ |
Eli Degibri (Hebrew: אלי דג'יברי) (born May 3, 1978 in Jaffa, Israel) is an Israeli jazz saxophonist, composer and arranger.
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Degibri first began playing the mandolin at age 7 in an after school music program at the Jaffa Conservatory of Music. Three years later, after attending a jazz concert, he became enamored with the saxophone and switched his studies to that instrument.
In 1994 Degibri was selected to receive a full scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music's Summer Performance Program. The following year Degibri was again awarded a full scholarship, and participated in the Berklee program for a second summer.
In 1997, at age 18, Degibri received a full scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music and relocated to the United States. After a year at Berklee, he was one of only six musicians to be selected, with a full scholarship, to attend the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz[1][2] program, where he studied and performed with Ron Carter, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath and Clark Terry.
After graduating from the Monk Institute in 1999, Degibri was asked to join pianist Herbie Hancock's sextet, playing the music of Herbie Hancock's Gershwin's World. Degibri toured the world with them for 2.5 years, and was featured on Hancock's 2002 "The Jazz Channel Presents Herbie Hancock" DVD special.
In 2002 Degibri relocated to New York and formed his first quintet featuring Kurt Rosenwinkel, Aaron Goldberg, Ben Street, and Jeff Ballard. The band performed in New York jazz clubs including the Blue Note, the Jazz Standard, 55 Bar, Smalls Jazz Club, and Fat Cat Jazz. That same year Degibri joined drummer Al Foster’s band - the Al Foster Quartet. Degibri was featured on Foster’s 2008 release “Love, Peace and Jazz!”,[3] a live recording at the legendary New-York club – Village Vanguard, and on Foster's 2008 full length DVD entitled “The Paris Concert”.[4] A live show of the Al Foster Quartet at the Village Vanguard was aired on NPR on May 21, 2008.[5]
In 2008 Degibri formed his organ trio featuring Gary Versace and Obed Calvaire and released his 4th album, “Live at Louis 649”.[6] That same year the trio toured Israel and following the tour the trio was invited by bass player and artistic director Avishai Cohen to participate at the 2009 Red Sea Jazz Festival.[7][8][9] In January 2011 Degibri was invited to perform at the Red Sea Jazz Festival's first winter edition, he has performed a duo with pianist Kenny Barron.[10] In April 2011 Degibri joined drummer Al Foster and bassist George Mraz quartet together with pianist Fred Hersch at Birdland Jazz Club in New York for a performance dedicated to the music of the late Joe Henderson around what would have been Henderson's 74th birthday.[11] The quartet was also invited to perform at the 2011 North Sea Jazz Festival.[12]
Degibri has recorded five albums under his name: “In The Beginning”[13] (2003 - Fresh Sound Records) featuring Kurt Rosenwinkel, Aaron Goldberg, Ben Street and Jeff Ballard, “Emotionally Available” (2006 - Fresh Sound Records) featuring Aaron Goldberg, Ben Street and Jeff Ballard, “One Little Song” (2006 - Degibri/Hays), a duo collaboration with pianist Kevin Hays, “Live At Louis 649”[14][15] (2008 - Anzic Records) featuring Gary Versace and Obed Calvaire, and in 2010, his latest – “Israeli Song” (Anzic Records) featuring Ron Carter, Al Foster and Brad Mehldau.
Along the way Degibri has also worked with Ron Carter, Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, Eric Reed and the Mingus Big Band.
In October 2011 it was announced that Degibri, together with Dubi Lenz, have been chosen to become the new artistic directors of the Red Sea Jazz Festival.[16]