Sefi Zisling - Expanse (2019)

Expanse is the sophomore album from Tel Avivs top jazz and funk trumpeter: Sefi Zisling. Building on his debut LP Beyond The Things I Know, released on Raw Tapes Tel Avivs leading beat label and collective, and championed by the likes of Gilles Peterson (BBC 6Music), Stamp The Wax and Twistedsoul, Expanse is a self-produced family-minded collaboration project. Inspired by his childhood heroes of John Coltrane, Grant Green and Fred Wesley, Expanse combines the sounds of afro-jazz, psychedelic funk and spiritual jazz to create an album that echoes the great creators of Alice Coltrane, Fela Kuti and Donald Byrd, while paving a new path all catalysed through the trumpet. A perfectionist who places the upmost importance upon the precision and placement of each note, Sefis music acts as a dialogue between bright and dark colours, solid grooves and abstract melodies. Recorded as live session with all of Sefis close and talented friends including live members Omri Shani (bass), Tom Bollig (drums) and Noam Havkin (drums) and long-time collaborators Idan Kupferberg (percussion), Uzi Ramirez (guitar) and Tair Slutzki (trombone), Expanse captures the essence of the classic jazz session album. With very little digital procession, Expanse is committed to the outcome, colourful human mistakes and spontaneous moments included. Talking about the contrasting themes on the record, Sefi explains Theres healthy tension between the tight and groovy to the free and the abstract Harmony is achieved by embracing the disharmony in our life and that darkness and light are equally important.