Rotem Sivan Trio | Hamish Smith | Karl Ousback

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Rotem Sivan is regarded as one of the most promising guitarists of his generation and now presents his new album Heart Thieves with his trio. Produced by Ben Wendel, the album is a celebration of Rotem’s love for music and a heartfelt dedication to his twin children, Gigi & Eden.

Sivan’s guitar artistry has already spread across the globe, with Downbeat Magazine hailing him as “a remarkable talent.” He graduated with honors in classical composition and jazz performance from Tel Aviv University and the New School in New York City. Since then, he has toured extensively with his band and performed on international stages worldwide. At the heart of his music lies a dynamic interplay and a pure fascination with sound. He crafts soundscapes of the finest quality, marked by rhythmic phrasing and straightforward melodic approaches. With his trio, he masterfully translates highly complex musical ideas into a casual yet elegant form, creating sounds that are accessible, unforced, and at the same time profound and intricate.

Guitar legend Peter Bernstein has described Sivan as “the next guitarist of our time.” Over the years, he has collaborated with outstanding musicians such as Ari Hoenig, Ben Street, and many others.

Hamish Smith, an award-winning New Zealand jazz bassist, quickly established himself in the New York jazz scene with his groove-centric approach and rhythmic inventiveness. NEA Jazz Master Todd Barkan described him as “a modern marvel—one of the great young bassists in the world.”
He has toured and recorded with leading artists such as Paquito D’Rivera, Miguel Zenón, Yosvany Terry, Dayna Stephens, Manuel Valera, Elio Villafranca, and the Vanguard Jazz Orchestra. As a leader, he performs with his own quintet and co-founded the collective Immigrantet. After relocating to New York on a scholarship to the Manhattan School of Music, he was hired by Paquito D’Rivera in his freshman year. Smith is also an active educator, teaching privately and as a guest lecturer internationally.

Karl-Henrik Ousbäck is an award-winning jazz drummer, composer, and bandleader based in New York. Copenhagen Jazz hailed him as “the biggest drum talent ever produced in Sweden.”
He is a regular member of the Jonathan Kreisberg Quartet and appears in projects led by Simon Moullier. In 2023, he released his debut album as a leader, Confluence (Fresh Sound Records), which All About Jazz praised as a remarkable entry into the tradition of drummer-led jazz recordings.

Rotem Sivan - Guitar (IL)
Hamish Smith - Bass (NZ)
Karl Ousback - Drums (SWE)

0:00 Gigi
9:05 In The Mood

Recorded live at Zig Zag jazz club in Berlin on 13.09.2025

Audio recording - Elias Hartard
Video and audio mixing - Alexander Hoetzinger

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