Chuck Israels and Alec Katz

Bassist Chuck Israels and I have become fast pen pals. Every since my interview with Chuck in 2019 (go here), he has sent along wonderful emails with insights into the historic subjects of my posts. I share many of them with you. Recently, Chuck sent along thrilling tracks from 2009 of his trio live at a club in Tel Aviv, Israel. The album featured pianist Alec Katz and drummer Yonatan Rosen. [Photo above of Chuck Israels]

If you're unfamiliar with Katz, he's a gloriously sensitive player with a firm sense of swing. Chuck loves Katz's playing, and he's certainly an authority on poetic pianists, given his years with the Bill Evans Trio in the 1960s. He also raved about Rosen's drumming. [Photo above of Alec Katz]

Katz began formal piano lessons at age 7. Then his jazz-loving, pianist uncle turned him on to albums by Art Tatum, Oscar Peterson, Erroll Garner and Bill Evans. In high school, Katz first formed small jazz ensembles.

Playing professionally began in the early 1990s while Katz was studying at the Jerusalem Academy of Music. He soon became an in-demand jazz pianist in Israel, playing club dates, concerts and festivals. He also sat in with visiting American jazz artists, including Walter Blanding, Eric Alexander, Donald Harrison and others.

Moving to the the Nederlands in the late '90s, Katz attended the Royal Conservatory in the Hague. He studied with Dutch pianist Frans Elsen and American pianist Barry Harris. Katz graduated with honors. Back in Israel, Katz has led a trio and collaborated with jazz vocalist Simona Arones. Today, he often is featured at major events and festivals in Israel and performs as a soloist with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.

In 2009 and 2010, Katz invited Chuck to play together in Israel at a series of concerts and hold masterclasses. The highlights were performances at a series of clubs there. The music Chuck sent me is from a private recording, but you can hear the trio in action (and Chuck's warm, engaging bass playing) during their time together at Katz's site and at YouTube [photo above, from left, of Yonatan Rosen, Chuck Israels and Alec Katz in 2009].

Here are five clips:

Here's My Romance...

Here's Charlie Parker's Bird Feathers, with Joe Hunt on drums...

Here's Chuck's Measure Twice...

Here's Chuck's Garden of Delights...

And here's Earle Warren's 9:20 Special...

Bonus: Here's Chuck in 1965, at age 29, in London with pianist Bill Evans and drummer Larry Bunker...