This Thursday and Friday, the Bay Area doubles its Avishai Cohen quotient. Not to be confused with the Bay Area’s own jazz trumpeter Avishai Cohen, bassist Avishai Cohen from Israel will play two shows each night at Yoshi’s Oakland this Thursday and Friday.

Let me just say right now that when I first heard “Alon Basela” off his most recent release Aurora I had to hear it over and over again.

I believe in mankind
And in the sky
I exist in the ocean
And in the tree
As long as I live
I will remember
Happiness is the people
For better and ever

There is something in the combination of instruments where West meets east and this simple five-note melody that make me keep clicking on the “replay button.” Yes, this is “jazz” with Hebrew lyrics, but Cohen’s music is really so much more than that.

Cohen was Chick Corea’s bassist for a number of years and he as also performed and collaborated with musical giants like Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin, Joshua Redman, Wynton Maralis and Danilo Perez. In 2003 he created the multi-genre record label Razdaz Recordz. He sings in Hebrew, English, Spanish and Ladino (Spanish-based Sephardic Jewish language). Cohen has brought the term “Israeli Jazz” to the musical forefront.

Cohen will be joined on stage by Shai Maestro on piano, Amos Hoffman on oud and guitar, Karen Malka on vocals and Itamar Doari on percussion.

Wednesday - 8pm/10pm show- $20

Thursday - 8pm/10pm show- $20

For tickets: Yoshi's Oakland

For more info: Avishai Cohen's website