Ohad Talmor Back To The Land

Born in 1970, Brooklyn-based saxophonist, composer, and conductor Ohad Talmor has  developed a career that bridges performance, composition, and education. His  cosmopolitan background informs a body of work that moves fluidly between small group improvisation, orchestral writing, and cross-disciplinary collaborations. 

Talmor leads several projects, including Back to the Land, a flexible ensemble built  around his trio with bassist Chris Tordini and drummer Eric McPherson, and often  joined by vibraphonist Joel Ross and pianist David Virelles - focusing on newly  discovered music by Ornette Coleman; and Newsreel, his long-standing sextet noted  for its ensemble sound and contemporary repertoire focused on Hindustani based  repertoire. Large-scale works such as his Piano Concerto Layas (premiered by the  Porto Symphony and Big Band with pianist Jason Moran) and the ongoing Mass  Transformation project, a chamber jazz orchestra reinterpreting Anton Bruckner’s  symphonies, reflect his interest in connecting the orchestral tradition with  improvisation. Alongside his own groups, Talmor has also appeared as a guest  conductor and composer/arranger for big bands and symphonic ensembles across  Europe and the U.S including Germany’s WDR Big Band and Sao Paulo Soundscape  Orchestra. 

His collaborations span generations and styles, from long partnerships with Lee Konitz,  Steve Swallow, Carla Bley, and Billy Hart to projects with Jason Moran, Chris Cheek,  Jim Black, Josh Redman, Kurt Rosenwinkel, and younger voices shaping today’s scene.  He has performed at leading venues and festivals throughout Europe, North and South  America, and Asia. 

In addition to his performing and composing activities, Talmor is an active educator  and organizer. He serves as Director of Jazz Studies at the Conservatoire de Musique  de Genève, teaches Saxophone and Composition at Siena Jazz University in Italy, and  is Artistic Director of the Cortona Jazz Festival & Workshop. In New York, he founded  the performance space SEEDS Brooklyn, which has become a hub for adventurous  music since its creation in 2010. 

Talmor’s work underscores his dual role as improviser and composer: firmly rooted in  jazz while continually expanding its boundaries through composition, collaboration,  and conducting.