| Jazz |
A Dream in Eight Movements: Alon Farber’s “Hagiga” and the Architecture of Imagination
What could be more beautiful than surrendering oneself to the unexpected, being swept into the creative universe of an artist whose vision is at once personal and expansive? For some, Alon Farber is a familiar name, known through previous recordings. For others, like myself, his music remained a whispered rumor until recently. In 2024, I began hearing murmurs of an album called The Magician, a work lauded by critics, though it never quite found its way into my hands. Yet I was not disappointed. Praise, after all, is often shaped by the fleeting inspirations of the critic, their mood, their moment in time. I chose instead to remain in the dark, hoping that one day the music would find me on its own terms.
And now it has. Hagiga, Farber’s latest offering, arrives not with pomp but with poetic stealth. It reveals itself slowly, its vision rooted in something far deeper than the need to impress. A visionary composer with a fiercely personal approach, Farber creates a nearly invisible thread between past and present, a shimmering line of continuity that pulses with energy rarely found outside the most inspired of ensembles.
From the first notes, it becomes clear: this is not merely a jazz album, but a meticulously crafted soundscape built on a complex architectural foundation. The musicians, each a master of their instrument, deliver performances that are as technically dazzling as they are emotionally resonant. And it is in the writing, the arrangements of the eight compositions, that one encounters a quiet brilliance. There is form here, yes, but also poetry. There are echoes of world music, at times Moroccan, at others Brazilian. These fragments weave together like dream sequences, a phantasmagorical journey where classical influences underpin and elevate the whole.
It’s an immersive experience. Those who, like myself, pursued musical studies in their youth may find themselves drawn into every note, every modulation and countermelody. For all its complexity, Hagiga does not seek to alienate. But it also doesn’t pander. This is not music for everyone. And perhaps that’s exactly why it matters. It is, or will surely become, a landmark work in the evolving canon of 21st-century jazz.
The press materials offer further insight: Hagiga, Hebrew for “celebration”, marks the 25th anniversary of the ensemble bearing the same name. For Farber, this is more than a milestone; it is an act of cultural reflection. In these compositions, he celebrates the diversity of his Israeli heritage through a swirling fusion of swing, Moroccan rhythms, Brazilian cadences, and the unmistakable pulse of funk. It’s his third release on the Origin Records label, and perhaps his most introspective.
This time, Farber drew inspiration from dreams, the state in which, for him, the compositional process truly begins. In his words, the journey starts before a single note meets the page: imagining the shape of a piece, the process of recording it, hearing it fully formed in the mind. The result is a series of tributes and transformations. “Mingus Dream” emerges from a meditation on the legacy of Charles Mingus. “Cookies” evokes the angular whimsy of Thelonious Monk. And “The Bartok Blues” ventures into terrain that Béla Bartók might recognize, or perhaps not. That ambiguity is intentional. Farber doesn’t seek homage so much as dialogue.
This is the paradox at the heart of Hagiga. By refusing to cater to any one audience, Farber invites us all in, slipping into each track the essence of what he believes a musical work should be. It is an offering of depth over gloss, of structure over spectacle, of meaning over immediacy. And yes, beauty requires more than form. It demands substance. Here, there is plenty.
For those willing to step off the beaten path, those curious enough to explore a form of jazz less immediate but infinitely more rewarding, Hagiga may serve as a perfect bridge. It asks something of the listener, but gives much more in return.
And should you wish to continue the journey beyond this album, consider visiting Origin Records, a label quietly curating one of the most compelling catalogs in contemporary American jazz. Like Hagiga, it is a place where bold ideas are not only welcomed, but celebrated.
Thierry De Clemensat
Member at Jazz Journalists Association
USA correspondent for Paris-Move and ABS magazine
Editor in chief – Bayou Blue Radio, Bayou Blue News
PARIS-MOVE, May 20th 2025
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Musicians:
Alon Farber – soprano, alto & tenor saxes
Katia Toobool – piano
Assaf Hakimi – acoustic bass
Yonatan Rosen – drums
Track Listing:
1 Cookies 6:14
2 Minor Trap 4:49
3 20 Years 4:38
4 Mingus Dream 6:14
5 The Bartok Blues 6:21
6 An Old Friend 4:51
7 Theme for Einat 5:42
8 Minorism 4:33
All music by Alon Farber, ACUM, except:
(3) Oded Meir, ACUM
(6) Katia Toobool, ACUM
Photography by Yossi Zwecker
Cover design & layout by John Bishop