Asaf Sirkis (born 1969) is an Israeli

jazz Jazz is a music genre that originated in the African-American communities of New Orleans, Louisiana in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with its roots in blues and ragtime. Since the 1920s Jazz Age, it has been recognized as a major ...

drummer, composer and educator.

Early life

Sirkis spent his teens and early twenties in

Rehovot Rehovot ( he, רְחוֹבוֹת ''Rəḥōvōt'', ar, رحوڤوت ''Reḥūfūt'') is a city in the Central District of Israel, about south of Tel Aviv. In it had a population of . Etymology Israel Belkind, founder of the Bilu movement, ...

Israel Israel (; he, יִשְׂרָאֵל, ; ar, إِسْرَائِيل, ), officially the State of Israel ( he, מְדִינַת יִשְׂרָאֵל, label=none, translit=Medīnat Yīsrāʾēl; ), is a country in Western Asia. It is situated ...

where he began drum lessons aged 12. His early musical influences were

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, classical music, Arabic, Balkan, Klezmer, Pop, and Israeli folk music. In 1990, shortly after he completed his three-year

national service National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939. The l ...

he started his full-time professional career working as an all-around drummer in Israel. He has played with notable jazz musicians from Israel and abroad including

Harold Rubin Harold Rubin (13 May 1932 – 1 April 2020) was a South African-born Israeli artist and free jazz clarinetist. Life and career Rubin was born in Johannesburg, South Africa on 13 May 1932. He attended the Jeppe High School for Boys and received ...

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and Eyal Sela.

Career

In 1993 Sirkis moved to

Tel Aviv Tel Aviv-Yafo ( he, תֵּל־אָבִיב-יָפוֹ, translit=Tēl-ʾĀvīv-Yāfō ; ar, تَلّ أَبِيب – يَافَا, translit=Tall ʾAbīb-Yāfā, links=no), often referred to as just Tel Aviv, is the most populous city in the G ...

and soon after formed the Asaf Sirkis trio featuring Kobi Arad on keyboards, and Gabriel Mayer on electric bass. With that line up he recorded his first solo album ''One Step Closer'' (1996) as well as touring in Israel with the trio. In 1997 he formed the 'Asaf Sirkis & The Inner Noise' trio. The Inner Noise was a unique trio and the first jazz/rock group to incorporate an innovative line up of church organ guitar and drums. Asaf left Israel in 1998, settling in London in 1999. In 2000 Sirkis re-formed the Inner Noise trio with

Steve Lodder Steve Lodder, born Stephen John Lodder (born 10 April 1951, St. Helier, Jersey), is a British keyboardist, composer, and organist. He played piano as a child and took up organ at age 14. He studied organ at Gonville and Caius College, and after ...

on church organ and Mike Outram on guitar. The band has recorded three acclaimed albums - ''Inner Noise'', ''We Are Falling'' and ''The Song Within''. Shortly after he arrived in London he met

Gilad Atzmon Gilad Atzmon ( he, גלעד עצמון, ; born 9 June 1963) is a British jazz saxophonist, novelist, political activist, and writer. As a musician, he is best known as a saxophonist and bandleader. His instruments include the saxophone, acco ...

with whom he formed The Orient House Ensemble and recorded 7 albums, including ''Exile'', which won "Best CD of the Year" at the BBC Jazz Award 2003 while the band was nominated for "Best Band" in 2004. After almost 10 years in the OHE, Sirkis left the band in 2009 to focus on his solo career and other collaborations. Since 2006 Sirkis has been collaborating with reeds player and composer

Tim Garland Tim Garland (born 19 October 1966) is a British jazz saxophonist, composer, and bandleader. His compositions draw from modern jazz and classical concert music. Career Garland was born in Ilford, Essex and grew up in Canterbury, Kent. He starte ...

with whom he toured the world and recorded many albums. Asaf has also worked with

Jacob Collier Jacob Collier (; né Moriarty; born 2 August 1994) is an English singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. His music incorporates a combination of jazz with elements from many other musical genres, and often features extensive use of reha ...

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,Jazz breaking news: Gwilym Simcock, Tim Garland and Asaf Sirkis shine as luminous Lighthouse fill the Forge
by Stephen Graham, 16 May 2012 John Abercrombie,

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, Nicolas Meier,

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and many more. Since 2014, Sirkis is co-leading the Sirkis/Bialas International Quartet together with Polish singer/composer Sylwia Bialas. The Quartet features pianist Frank Harrison and Scottish bassist Kevin Glasgow. Their debut album ''Come To Me'' was released in 2014 at the

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. Come To Me has been selected as one of the best albums of 2015 at

All About Jazz ''All About Jazz'' is a website established by Michael Ricci in 1995. A volunteer staff publishes news, album reviews, articles, videos, and listings of concerts and other events having to do with jazz. Ricci maintains a related site, ''Jazz Near ...

website by several reviewers and the band has toured extensively since the release date. The Quartet's new double album 'Our New Earth' is scheduled to be released in 2019 on Moonjune Records. Recently, Asaf has been collaborating with various artists on the

Moonjune Records MoonJune Records is a record label specializing in progressive rock, jazz rock, and avant-garde music. It was founded by record producer Leonardo Pavkovic in 2001. History Pavkovic was born in Yugoslavia and grew up in southern Italy. In his you ...

record label. Notably, the Reuter/Wingfield/Stavi Sirkis collaboration album has been selected as a masterpiece of 2017 at DownBeat magazine as well as receiving rave reviews. Asaf can be heard on many recent Moonjune albums alongside Spanish guitarist

Carles Benavent Carles Benavent (born 1 March 1954) is a Spanish flamenco and jazz bass player. Biography Benavent was born in the Poble Sec neighborhood in Barcelona. He started playing the bass when he was thirteen years old, attracted by blues and rock, J ...

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Dewa Budjana I Dewa Gede Budjana (born August 30, 1963) is an Indonesian guitarist, songwriter and composer. He is the lead guitarist and songwriter of the band Gigi. Budjana's style changed dramatically to jazz as he got to know John McLaughlin, Pat Metheny ...

, Indonesian pianist Dwiki Dharmawan,

Markus Reuter Markus Reuter (born Lippstadt, Germany, 1972Markus Reuter official biography ...

, and many more.

Education

Sirkis has been studying the art of the south Indian vocal percussion (

Konnakol Konnakol (also spelled Konokol, Konakkol, Konnakkol) ( ta, கொன்னக்கோல் koṉṉakkōl) ( ml, വായ്ത്താരി) is the art of performing percussion syllables vocally in South Indian Carnatic music. Konnakol is th ...

) at the Tamil centre in west London under the guidance of master percussionist Mr Paramasamy Kirupakaran and from various other sources. Asaf has developed a simple, step-by-step method of teaching Konnakol that can help any instrumentalist or vocalist of any musical genre and level to increase rhythmic awareness and focus. Nowadays, Sirkis is involved in a variety of educational work, bringing Konnakol to western music education as a useful tool of understanding rhythm for western musicians. He has given many workshops and seminars around the world on the subject and has a YouTube channel with Konnakol tutorials. As of 2017, he is a principal lecturer in jazz drums at

Leeds College of Music Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by populatio ...

and teaches drums and Konnakol at

Trinity Laban Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance is a music and dance conservatoire based in London, England. It was formed in 2005 as a merger of two older institutions – Trinity College of Music and Laban Dance Centre. The conservatoire has ...

Conservatory in London.

Discography

As leader and collaborator

*(2022) Asaf Sirkis,
Solar flash
*(2019) The Sirkis/Bialas International Quartet, ''Our New Earth'' *(2016) Asaf Sirkis, "Full Moon" *(2014) The Sirkis/Bialas International Quartet, ''Come to Me'' *(2013) Asaf Sirkis Trio, ''Shepherd's Stories'' *(2012) Simcock/Garland/Sirkis, ''Lighthouse'' ACT *(2010) Asaf Sirkis Trio, ''Letting Go'' *(2008) Asar Sirkis Trio, ''The Monk'' *(2007) Asaf Sirkis & The Inner Noise, ''The Song Within'' *(2005) Asaf Sirkis & The Inner Noise, ''We are Falling'' *(2003) Asaf Sirkis & The Inner Noise, ''Inner Noise'' *(1998) Asaf Sirkis Trio, ''One Step Closer''

As a sideman

*(1990) Biological Madness – ''Biological Madness'' *(1991) Odeon – ''Odeon'' *(1992) Tact – ''Downtown'' *(1993) Harold Rubin – ''Trialog'' *(1993) Changes – ''Changes'' *(1994) Rami Shuler – ''With One Breath'' *(1994) Return to Zero – ''Return to Zero'' *(1994) Fantasy Jazz Trio – ''F.J.T.'' *(1995)

– ''The Primitive'' *(1995) Return to Zero – ''Back for More'' *(1996) Harold Rubin – ''Blue Bag'' *(1997) Albert Beger – ''This Life'' *(1997) Amir Perelman Trio – ''Trio 97 Vol. 1'' *(1998) Eyal Maoz & Asaf Sirkis – ''Freedom Has Its Own Taste'' *(1999) Christoph Spendel – ''The Three Worlds'' *(1999) Adel Salameh – ''Nuzha'' *(2000)

& the Orient House Ensemble – ''Orient House'' *(2001) Eyal Sela – ''Sela'' *(2001) Gilad Atzmon & the Orient House Ensemble – ''Nostalgico'' *(2001) Various Artists – ''The More We Know: 30 Years of Enja Records'' *(2001) Nick Homes – ''Not Tonight'' *(2002) The Meier Group – ''Ribbon in the Wind'' *(2002) Simon Fisher Turner – ''Swift'' *(2002) Phil Robson – ''Impish'' *(2002) Mark Latimer – ''Unhinged, Take 2'' *(2002) Lee Gibson – ''Songs of Time And Place'' *(2003) Gilad Atzmon and the Orient House Ensemble – ''Exile'' *(2003) John Williams – ''Tenorama'' *(2003) Nick Homes – ''Indian Summer'' *(2004) Gilad Atzmon & the Orient House Ensemble – ''MusiK'' *(2005) Tim Garland's Lighthouse – ''If The Sea Replied'' *(2005) Nicolas Meier Group – ''Orient'' *(2005) Simon Fisher Turner – ''LANA LARA LATA'' *(2005) Tassos Spiliotopoulos Quartet – ''Wait for Dusk'' *(2005) John Donaldson Trio – ''Music Box'' *(2006) Alcyona Mick – ''Around the Sun'' *(2006) Gilad Atzmon Presents Artie Fishel & The Promised Band – ''Artie Fishel'' *(2006) Klaus Gesing – ''Heart Luggage'' *(2007) Nicolas Meier – ''YUZ'' *(2007)

Glauco Venier Glauco Venier (born 8 September 1962) is an Italian jazz pianist and composer. Life and career Venier was born in Sedegliano, Udine on 8 September 1962. He "graduated in organ and composition from the Udine Conservatory in 1985, then took privat ...

& Yuri Goloubev – ''Homage a Duke'' *(2007) Sirkis/Venier/Goloubev – ''Intermezzo'' *(2007) Tim Garland – ''The Mystery'' (featuring Chick Corea) *(2007) Law/Burgess/Sirkis – ''The Art of Sound Volume 1'' *(2007) Gilad Atzmon & The Orient House Ensemble – ''Refuge'' *(2007) Dan Stern – ''Traces'' *(2007)

– ''The Northern Underground Orchestra'' *(2008) SGS Group (Sirkis/Goloubev/Simcock) – ''Presents...'' *(2008) Nicolas Meier – ''Silence Talks'' *(2008) Massimo Colombo Trio – ''Il Goico Delle Forme'' *(2009)

Sarah Gillespie Sarah Gillespie is a critically acclaimed British American singer songwriter, lyricist, writer anproducerbased in London. She has four albums, known for combining poetic lyrics with folk, blues and elements of jazz. Her debut collection of poet ...

– ''Stalking Juliet'' *(2009) Tim Garland Lighthouse Trio – ''Libra'' *(2009) Yuri Goloubev – ''Metafore Semplici'' *(2009) Gilad Atzmon – ''In Loving Memory of America'' *(2009)

Polly Scattergood Polly Scattergood (born 18 October 1986) is an English singer and songwriter. She has been described as ethereal, dark, intense and quirky, while her musical style has been described as "early 21st century electro-dance-pop of London proper". ...

– ''Polly Scattergood'' *(2009) John Law's Art of Sound Trio – ''Volume 4, Congregation'' *(2009) Nicolas Meier – ''Journey'' *(2009) Simon Fisher Turner – ''Music From Films You Should Have Seen'' *(2009) Nicolas Meier Trios – ''Breeze'' *(2009) Asaf Sirkis & Eyal Maoz Duo – ''Elementary Dialogues'' *(2010) Asaf Sirkis/Sassi Mizrachi/ Kobi Arad – ''Vagabond'' *(2010) Jonathan Cohen's Time Loves Changes Octet – ''Life Cycles'' *(2010) Tassos Spiliotopoulos – ''Archipelagos'' *(2011) Alex Hutton Trio – ''Legentis'' *(2011) Yuri Goloubev Trio – ''Titanic for a Bike'' *(2011) Carlo Magni Quartet – ''Notturni'' *(2012) John Law Congregation Featuring Asaf Sirkis & Yuri Goloubev – ''Three Leaps of the Gazelle'' *(2013) Nicolas Meier Group – ''From Istanbul to Ceuta With a Smile'' *(2013)

Maciek Pysz Maciek Pysz (born 6 September 1982 in Rybnik, Poland) is a jazz musician, guitarist and composer.Lindsay, Bruce (6 August 2013"Review of Insight" All About Jazz, retrieved 25 May 2014 He is known for his clear lyrical phrasing, his virtuosity and ...

Trio – ''Insight'' *(2013)

– ''Faith & Grace'' *(2014) Tim Garland's Lighthouse – ''Songs For The North Sky'' *(2014) Fabienne Ambuhl Trio – ''Glitterwood'' *(2015)

– ''Proof of Light'' *(2015) Alex Hutton Trio – ''Magna Carta Suit'' *(2015) Noel Langley – ''Edentide'' *(2015) Maciek Pysz – ''A Journey'' *(2016) Marco Cortesi – ''Spring Thing'' *(2016) Celine Bonacina – ''Crystal Rain'' *(2016) Tim Garland – ''One'' *(2017) Dwiki Dharmawan – ''Pasar Klewer'' *(2017) Wingfield/Reuter/Stavi/Sirkis – ''The Stone House'' *(2017) Dusan Jevtovic – ''No Answer'' *(2017) Wingfield/Reuter/Sirkis – ''Lighthouse'' *(2018) Mark Wingfield – ''Tales from the Dreaming City'' *(2018) The Lie Detectors – ''Secret Unit'' *(2018) Dwiki Dharmawan – ''Rumah Batu'' *(2018) Ant Law – ''Life I Know (guest appearance)'' *(2019) Markus Reuter – ''Truce''

References

External links

Asaf's websiteYouTube channel

Selected interviews

Mike Dolbear interviews Asaf SirkisAsaf's interview at Jazz AustraliaBBC interview with Claire MartinInterview with Richard SharmaSussex Jazz Magazine

Selected reviews

Budd Kopman's 5 star review at All About Jazz website - The Sirkis Bialas International Quartet, ''Come To Me''John Kelman's review of ''Shepherd's Stories''Jazz Breakfast review - ''Shepherd's Stories''Mike Dolbar's review of ''Shepherd's Stories''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sirkis, Asaf 1969 births Living people Israeli jazz musicians Jazz drummers People from Rehovot People from Tel Aviv