ABOUT ALON FARBER

Saxophonist, composer and bandleader Alon Farber is an original voice in contemporary Israeli jazz. His music combines a strong melodic sensibility with adventurous improvisation, rhythmic variety and a deep interest in the possibilities of ensemble playing.

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In 2001, Farber founded Alon Farber Hagiga, which has remained his principal creative laboratory for 25 years. Across six albums, the ensemble has developed a recognizable sound that draws on New York jazz and swing, Israeli melodies, Middle Eastern influences, Afro-Latin rhythms and contemporary jazz, while remaining centered on original composition and improvisation.

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Hagiga has appeared at leading international and Israeli jazz festivals, including the Paris Jazz Festival and Copenhagen Jazz Festival, as well as three appearances each at the Red Sea Jazz Festival and Jerusalem Jazz Festival. The ensemble has also performed elsewhere in Europe and toured China. In 2025, the quartet toured Peru, Brazil and Argentina, combining concerts and festival appearances with masterclasses.

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An important part of Farber’s musical path has been his work with leading improvisers. Hagiga has collaborated with trumpeters Dave Douglas and Avishai Cohen, bringing their individual voices into Farber’s compositions and the band’s open, interactive approach to improvisation. Farber’s album The Magician, recorded live at the Jerusalem Jazz Festival with Dave Douglas, grew directly from this spirit of collective musical exploration.

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Farber received five consecutive America-Israel Cultural Foundation awards for excellence in classical saxophone performance, including during his years at Berklee College of Music, where he studied jazz composition and received the Wayne Shorter Award and the Sadao Watanabe Award. In 2016, he received the Israeli Prime Minister’s Award for Jazz Composers.

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Alongside Hagiga, Farber is a co-founder of the Israeli Jazz Orchestra, established in 2003. Since its inception, he has served as lead saxophonist, composer and arranger, contributing extensively to the ensemble’s repertoire

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Farber’s sixth album, Dreams I Dream, released by Origin Records, presents another chapter in Hagiga’s development, balancing strong melodic writing with adventurous improvisation and close musical interaction. The album received international acclaim, with DownBeat describing it as “a record worthy of celebration” and “approachable but very stimulating.”