" data-original-title="" title="">Ryan Cohan, his explorative delve into his own bi-cultural roots as presented on his new release, Originations (Origin, 2020), would not resonate with listeners if the music itself was not thrilling. Music provides unity like no other communicative medium, the absence of linguistic perception enables the art to reverberate in a truly dynamic way. It engages the heart, soul and mind in such a way that engenders empathy, understanding, and justice. On Originations , Cohan convenes a wide array of musical influences steeped in his familial origins in Jewish and Arab culture. Cohan's original pieces are scored for an eleven-piece chamber jazz ensemble, consisting of his usual septet, and a traditional string quartet. The narrative of the music reflects the human and spiritual connections between disparate cultures. The seamless blend of contemporary classical music, jazz harmony and improvisation, and Middle Eastern/North African influences enables Cohan to speak to his cultural roots in an original and expressive way.

Cohan added The Kaia String Quartet to his usual septet format that employs the talents of top shelf Chicago jazz musicians. He accessed his Jewish upbringing assimilated with reawakened awareness of his Arab lineage rooted in Palestine. Removing border lines and faith-based biases, Cohan composed and played through this bi- cultural lens. The result is a dynamic suite of compositions created from a broad palette of musical traditions.

The opening salvo, "The Hours Before Dawn," begins with a cello line that ascends like a prayer of hope. The following ostinato, featuring Cohan's piano, gives the listener the first glimpse of Arabic influence that stretches from Palestine to Andalucia. The piece winds into "Imaginary Lines," reminding us of the indifference music has for artificial borders of any kind. It finds a way to express that Cohan's perceived work of musical dualism indeed reflects a powerful whole, vibrating on the same wavelength. Multi- reedist