My name is Yaniv Kerem, I'm an Israeli guitar player and composer.​

I recently released my debut album titled "SAND IN MY EYES", which features a quintet playing my compositions.

After studying Jazz music in Amsterdam I came back to Israel, forming my Quintet and playing venues around the country. After recieving a grant from the Israeli Ministry of Culture I set forth to record my first Album.

 

The Quintet Featured on the CD is composed of four of my friends.

Kobi Salomon, a master of the tenor, alto and soprano saxophone as well as a brilliant clarinet player. Kobi interprets my melodies perfectly and has a graceful way of telling a story in his solos.

Omri Abramov is the youngster in the band. An extremely talented tenor and soprano player, featured on my project as a tenorist.  I noticed that when I bring new music to the band Omri plays what I had written at first, and since he usually doesn't play the lead, he then plays his own suggestions to my arrrangement. I usually rewrite the arrangement using his ideas, and ultimately he ends up playing yet something else in the gig.

Simon Starr, double bass player brings his own approach to the music. Being from Australia and with years of experience touring with major jazz artists, Simon is the perfect choice to give the band a strong back bone so that the rest of us can play  in rhythmic and harmonic freedom.

At his side, grounding us, sits Roy Oliel, drummer and incredible musician (check out his own sextet). Having played with quite a few drummers, I noticed that Roy has a unique way of playing the drums. He outlines the form as if he's playing the chords, never needing more than a few words at the most to play my music exactly the way I imagined it.