Shauli Einav: Opus One

Jazz used to be known as America’s classical. For proof that other cultures took the ball and totally ran with it, Israeli saxophonist Shauli Einav makes a splendid example. His latest album Opus One is constructed with all of the delicacy of a ’60s era Coltrane album. It’s got a delicate waltz called “Jerusalem Theme”, Eastern hard bop in “Kavana”, the slow ballad “Naama”, a homeland standard “Hayu Leilot” and something that borders on holy land pop “Shavout”. Opus One has all of the elegance of the old masters while harmonically pushing things forward, and Einay’s not even thirty yet. Whatever happened to experience coming with age?