A composer and guitarist born in Jerusalem and based out of Brooklyn, New York, Avinoam Ettun finds himself inspired by the music of the world — be it classical music from Europe, jazz and blues music, or organic sound design; he takes inspiration from all, far and wide. On his latest project, “Searching For Colours”, he brings a magnum opus of sounds that leave a deep, indelible impression — keep reading for my thoughts and Avinoam in interview!
“Searching for Colours” represents a journey of Avinoam finding his own personal musical language — be it improvised sections throughout the album, or more structured and orchestrated passages. The 4-track opus is composed of a seeimblgy endless variety of tracks — from the short opener, “A Tale of Three Balloons”, he brings in the instrumental depth of a whole orchestra, yet weaves the elements very finely and delicately together with his rock-solid writing and composition. The arrangement is par excellence here, with beautiful swells and ebbs in energy, punctuating pivotal crescendos and diminuendos, painting a vast, intricate canvas of sounds that come together into one beautiful painting.
Moving to “The World Need Healing”, he continues with the jazz and blues influence that rings through “Searching for Colours”, and gives it a more mellow, whiskey-like twist, with a more structured jazz/ska approach; the double basses and the brushed drumming make for a perfect evening relaxation track. As we bring ourselves to the latter part of the album with “Ear Illusion” and “Melodically Involved”, the themes get deeper as we realise the true depth and expertise behind the songwriting here — to call them mere songs would be a disservice, I would go so far as to say. Here’s Avinoam Ettun in interview!
With your latest work, “Searching for Colours”, what would you say are your biggest inspirations from this style of music?
When writing the album, I was heavily inspired by two albums: “Like Minds” by Gary Burton, which is a supergroup album, and “Interplay” by Bill Evans – another fantastic band. I listened to them non-stop and learned some of the music. On the more orchestrated side, that was when I discovered Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade” and studied Rachmaninoff’s variations on Paganini’s theme very closely. These pieces left a significant impression on me and I believe they had an impact on the album. I was also influenced by the people I collaborated with at the time; My friend Nadav Assaf was writing his first album, and we worked closely together, sharing ideas and sending tracks to each other.
On this album, you have fused many different worlds of music together. How do you interpret the balance between the variety of musical influences that can be heard throughout this album?
The variety in the album wasn’t something I initially intended but rather a consequence of my musical journey. Growing up, I was deeply involved in jazz but also surrounded by classical musicians. They used to gather and play string quartets together. I always wanted to join them but couldn’t play the traditional repertoire. So I found myself arranging Bud Powell tunes for us to play. This unique blend fascinated me, and what started as a result of poor circumstances shaped the sound I pursued later in my career. Later, when writing the album, I was seriously studying orchestration in the mornings and playing jazz gigs at night. It was natural for me to blend it all together. Much of the music I love wasn’t originally written for guitar, especially not electric guitar, so I tried to find ways to incorporate my musical heroes, who didn’t write a single note for guitar, into my work.
With the advent of modern genres of music like trap and hip-hop, how important do you feel is the place of classical and classical-adjacent music like that of your own?
We are living in exciting times. The current musical landscape is incredibly exciting, with new tools and technologies enabling high-quality home production and unprecedented access to diverse music through the Internet. I find myself drawn to classical music for its long history, which I believe is important to preserve and learn from. The rich literature of classical music, its methodology, and its philosophy is something we can all learn from and use, regardless of the tools we have. It’s fascinating to see how new technologies are being integrated with our long-standing traditions. In any case, I believe that sincere art has its place in the world, and it’s essential to create it.
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What formed your creative vision when you were making this album? Are there any specific incidents that helped inspire the ultimate sound of this album?
COVID-19 was a shock to me, like to everyone else. During that time, I spent a lot of time studying Bartok’s string quartets and watching Chick Corea’s late-night practice sessions. With live performances on hold, I began recording tracks with my friends, which led to expanding solo guitar pieces into larger arrangements for multiple instruments. This period of isolation and collaboration greatly influenced the album’s sound.
What does the near future look like in terms of collaborations for you as an artist? Are there any musicians you’d love to collaborate with?
Lately, I had the opportunity to collaborate with the Jazz Gallery Big Band in New York, which was very exciting. I got to write an hour of music for the big band and even arranged some music from the album for this new ensemble. I also just finished writing a piece for a 40-guitar orchestra, and I’m excited to hear it come to life. In the near future, I would like to collaborate with major string quartets, in NYC and Europe. I also plan to continue working with my large ensemble, for which I’m currently writing a new album.
What has your journey in music been like so far? Where did you start, and where do you presently find yourself?
I started playing guitar at 11, initially influenced by bands like Green Day, Aerosmith and later The Beatles, Eric Clapton and Pink Floyd. Pretty quickly, I began writing my own songs and playing in bands. My early teacher encouraged me to compose, which was invaluable. At 15, I attended the Israeli Arts and Science Academy, where I delved into harmony, orchestration, and composition, surrounded by serious classical musicians. This environment pushed me to improve and diversify my musical interests. I started analyzing Chopin in classes and transcribing Miles Davis in the evenings. I continued my studies at the Jerusalem Music Academy and later at The New School, where great mentors like Aaron Goldberg, Uri Caine, and Dave Douglas encouraged me to explore and define my unique voice. Currently, I live in Brooklyn, performing and working on various projects.
What are the upcoming projects you have planned? Are you planning on staying with your original inspirations, or are you open to exploring other genres?
Lately, I find myself involved in the singer-songwriter world. I’m co-producing an album for a great singer named Sienna Sears, and I’m very excited about it. I’m also working closely on string arrangements for an upcoming album by singer Tali Golergant and guitarist Omri Madmoni. In addition, I’m excited about my upcoming Large Ensemble album, which features 10 new songs I’ve performed in various settings over the past two years. In the composition world I’m also working on two new commissions, one for a double-bass quartet and one for a guitar duo. My aim is to keep extending my writing, play more solo guitar, and dive into a long list of scores.
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