Evolution

Amos Hoffman fuses Middle Eastern music with jazz on his latest CD Evolution.

A jazz guitarist and oudist (an oud is a pear-shaped, stringed instrument without frets that is used in Middle Eastern music), Hoffman plays both instruments in melodies and rhythms that, according to his MySpace page, use "compositional and improvisational elements common to both musical genres."

Before moving back to his native Israel in 1999, Hoffman spent years in New York City, playing jazz there with both established and new artists. During that time, he also began a more formal study of Middle Eastern music. On Evolution, Hoffman, who composed the music and wrote what sound like Hebrew lyrics for the album, is accompanied by Avishai Cohen on contrabass, piano and vocals, Ilan Salem on flute and Ilan Katchka on percussion.

With the combination of jazz and Middle Eastern music, the ten tracks on Evolution will probably be welcome to those on the lookout for fresh and inventive music.