(Post-Bop) Tamir Hendelman - Destinations (2010) - 2017, MP3, 320 kbps

Melding elements of jazz, Latin, and classical music, pianist and arranger Tamir Hendelman presents Destinations, a fresh and ingenious take on standards such as Wrap Your Dreams in Troubles, Antonio Jobim's Passarim, and On the Street Where You Live from My Fair Lady that are inspired by Hendelman's travels all over the world, showing him to be truly skillful at drawing from any and all of these styles.
A tasteful feast from beginning to end, Destinations is a welcome relief from predictable sessions and ho-hum players; it also raises the bar for excellence. Hendelman's musical travels have taken him from Alaska to New York, and Thailand to Israel inspiring his music along the way. In Destinations Hendelman takes listeners along on a voyage of musical discovery. "Destinations to me is not only about the places I have traveled to, but also about the journey of being a jazz musician.
Tamir Hendelman has earned a well deserved reputation as a top flight accompanist with Jeff Hamilton, John Clayton, Kathy Kosins and other band leaders. This is his second recording as a leader, a finely crafted trio effort mainly consisting of standards or covers rearranged by the pianist, with melodies reconfigured via his deft touch and high level of jazz virtuosity. There's a certain spiritual quality due to Hendelman's Middle Eastern upbringing, but you clearly hear influences of jazz virtuosos like Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, and even a bit of Chick Corea. Hendelman plays with the confidence of a seasoned veteran, swinging easily, dipping into the blues, or waxing in a poetic, serene manner. It is that subtle, delicate touch on tracks such as "Babushka" or Jarrett's "My Song" that seems to resonate with his soul. But then again, the busy, cascading "BQE" demonstrates he's no lightweight, while an extension of Antonio Carlos Jobim's "Passarim" gives the listener more food for thought. A budding master, Tamir Hendelman looks to be a solid, accessible, enjoyable jazz performer for many years to come if Destinations is any indication.