Maya Cohen - Live at Ornithology (2024) [Hi-Res]

Live at Ornithology is Maya's third album and her first live album. In September 2023, at the Ornithology Jazz Club in Brooklyn NY on a rainy day, Maya's group recorded a live show of her original music, featuring the talented musicians consisting of Jonathan Reisin on saxophone, Simon Wilson on bass, Noah Franche-Nolan on piano and Maya on drums, vocals and compositions.

Maya pulled together some of her favourite musicians for her Quartet. Noah is a Canadian pianist, improviser, composer, and arranger based in Vancouver, BC. Simon is a Chilean-born, New York City-based bassist, composer, and improviser. He worked with established musicians such as Dave Douglas, Ethan Iverson, and Jason Palmer, among many others. Jonathan Reisin is an NYC-based musician, saxophonist, composer, and improviser, born in Israel. He worked with established musicians such as Francisco Mela, Kris Davis, and Cooper-Moore, among many others.

After a year in NYC, this marks one of Maya’s international collaborations with musicians from around the world, fulfilling one of her goals upon choosing to move to New York City for her master's program at the College of Performing Arts. She graduated form the MM Performer-Composer program with a merit scholarship at The New School. It was during this program that she met Jonathan and Noah, marking the beginning of their collaboration together.

The show was recorded by Jimmy Katz, mixed and mastered by the renowned Dave Darlington, with the cover illustration by Dror Cohen, an illustrator for numerous international magazines such as The New Yorker, The New York Times, and more. The quality of the musicians, the sound, and the visuals allowed the band to reach its highest level.

Live at Ornithology captures the authentic and the exciting energy of the performance between the musicians and the audience. Being recorded in one take means that the music is presented as it is, without multiple takes or heavy editing, giving it a more authentic and fresh sound. The combination of written parts with solos and improvised sections makes the music more spontaneous, surprising and adds freedom to the music.

Maya describes the music from the album: “The music is a blend of emotions and colors, featuring wordless vocals with unique rhythms, grooves, and sounds crafted on the drums. The compositions are inspired by nature, life in NYC, advocating for women's empowerment, a longing for peace, and the joy of creating beautiful landscapes and stories through music. ‘Live at Ornithology’ features five compositions, arranged for a quartet or trio. The music includes written parts with solos and improvised sections, allowing the players the freedom to express themselves and add their stories to the music. With roots in jazz and experimental music, the compositions blend complex grooves and harmonies with simple melodies, creating a sound that is both fascinating and deeply resonant.”

Maya shares her thoughts concerning her new relationship with Ubuntu Music: “I am delighted to be partnering with Ubuntu on my new album, ‘Live at Ornithology’, which holds a special place in my heart and in my musical journey. I’m grateful for this partnering, as it allows my music to reach as many people as possible to hear my new album. Being with Ubuntu, a prestigious label, allows my music to reach a wider audience and, as a result, I have more time to focus on writing new music and performing. I thank Martin Hummel and the Ubuntu team for having faith in this album release!”