Yesterday – Danny Gottfried Trio – Jazzin' The Beatles – Jaffa Jazz Festival 2026 (13:30)

Jazz pianist Danny Gottfried will lead his trio, together with legendary drummer Aharale Kaminsky and the wonderful bassist Eyal Ganor, offering classic jazz-style interpretations of a selection of the Beatles' greatest songs, in a challenging, virtuosic, and one-of-a-kind musical adventure. The jazz piano trio is considered the most classic, prestigious, and challenging format in jazz. It consists of piano, double bass, and drums. The pianist is the bandleader, playing the melody, the harmony, and most of the improvisation, while the bassist and drummer provide the rhythmic foundation and carry on a live musical dialogue with the piano. The ensemble focuses on classic acoustic jazz and is characterized by an almost telepathic musical conversation, based on free improvisation and focused listening. Among the world's great piano trios are those of Oscar Peterson, Bill Evans, Keith Jarrett, Thelonious Monk, Bud Powell, Chick Corea, McCoy Tyner, and others. Jazz pianist Danny Gottfried (born 1939) is one of the senior figures and pillars of Israel's jazz scene. Danny is recognized as one of the most influential people in developing and establishing the jazz genre in Israel. He founded the "Eilat International Jazz Festival" in 1987 and served as its artistic director for 22 years. In 1981 he established the first jazz studies department at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, and also founded and ran successful concert series at the Tel Aviv Museum and the Israeli Opera. Danny is a graduate of the Academy of Music, class of 1958. He began his jazz career during his military service in the Air Force Orchestra and continued as the pianist of the 'Kol Israel' quartet led by Mel Keller. Over the years he has performed and recorded with the world's greatest jazz artists, including Benny Golson, Randy Brecker, Sam Rivers, Niels-Henning Ørsted Pedersen, and Frank Foster. He frequently performs in a regular trio alongside veteran musicians Eli Magen and Aharale Kaminsky. Gottfried heads an extensive musical family: his son, Yaron Gottfried, is an acclaimed jazz pianist, composer, and conductor. His second son, Aviram Gottfried, is a professional jazz pianist, and his grandson, Bar Gottfried, is a guitarist and conductor. (The three of them even hold joint concerts combining different generations and musical styles.) Danny is also a lawyer and public figure who works for musicians' rights in Israel. He is among the founders of the Israeli Musicians' Union, has served as the union's chairman for about four decades, and in addition, founded the "Ilam" association in the mid-1980s, which handles the collection and distribution of performance royalties for musicians and performers in Israel, where he served as CEO for many years. Featuring: Danny Gottfried – piano, arrangements and musical direction; Aharale Kaminsky – drums; Eyal Ganor – double bass.