Time Traveler
Adhyaropa, 2025
9/10
The Brooklyn jazz drummer Ofri Nehemya pens an album of all originals that are personal and carry a fusion angle, where Tomer Bar, Nitzan Bar and Tal Mashiach are all present.
The rhythmic and bright “Drive” starts the 8 songs with Nehemya’s flowing drums alongside Nitzan’s rich guitar lines, and “Katniss” follows with a dreamy demeanor, as Tomer’s pretty key progressions complement the warm rhythm section.
“Memories, A Mother’s Light” and “Armors And Doubts” land in the middle. The former is both intimate and adventurous via Mashiach’s precise bass that makes an impression, while the latter uses scrappy drumming, eloquent guitar and dense keys for the album’s best.
“Endless Universe” lands close to the end and is an upbeat moment that you could dance to, and “One For Myself” exits with Nehemya’s drumming acrobatics front and center for 3 stunning minutes.
A real exciting and often stylish blend of jazz, rock and Middle Eastern ideas, Nehemya and his company touch on dentity, transformation, and self-expression with much precision and timelessness.
Travels well with: Ezra- Froggy’s Demise; David Leach- The Ground That Holds You As You Fall Forever