For Emotional Use Only

Tracklist

Album details

Press reviews

"He lets you hear the innate sound of his instrument, using classic jazz-guitar tone with dynamics and a searching quality to his improvising... He attains a kind of private language... Its the kind of thing that makes you listen harder."

—New York Times

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"Not only is Rotem Sivan a master of jazz guitar, he is a true artist, one who had done the hardest thing to do as a musician, develop his own unique sound. If you haven't heard of Rotem Sivan yet, you will."

—Just Jazz Guitar Magazine

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"One of a very few truly original guitarists on the scene today..."

—Bop-N-Jazz

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"He's formed his own unique style and soft sound, almost bell-like, and at times the notes seem to be wrapped in a smoke ring."

—Jazzholic

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"Enchanted Sun showcases Sivan and a trio possessed of energy, intensity, creativity and remarkable chemistry on this excellent debut."

—All About Jazz

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"I am confident in Sivan's unique abilities to transform the jazz guitar world."

—Ari Honing

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"Israeli guitarist set for a bright future in Jazz."

—The Jazzman"
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"The first thing you notice about the Rotem Sivan Trio is the confidence and sense of pacing that draws the listener in from the first note. Bassist Haggai Cohen Milos Intro to Spirals, in a commanding and richly melodic style that owes much to Charlie Haden, captures our ears first on For Emotional Use Only, setting us up for the incisive, low-voltage intensity of guitarist Sivan and Mark McLean on drums. Before the six minutes of Spirals is over, its clear that Sivans facility is remarkable but more importantly, his taste and dynamics are just as developed. Instead of hitting you with everything theyve got, Sivan and his cohorts are content to play their music and invite you in to enjoy it with them. Take the easy-going swing of the old-fashioned Mack David, Al Hoffman and Jerry Livingston tune A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes from their score for Cinderella, listen as it blossoms into an upbeat meditation on the chord changes before settling back for an in-the-pocket bass solo with chattering drums. Guitar and drums trade licks with aplomb before the trio reunites to take it home. The lovely title track by Sivan, with sensitive playing by all hands, strikes me as a close cousin of Hadens Silence, one of his most beautiful and memorable lines. Sefis Blues gives the trio a chance to turn it up a notch, which they do without undue clutter or overplaying. Their meshed and measured pacing, sparked by McLeans crisp drumming, is really a joy on this tune. Jobims Useless Landscape receives an appropriately sunny treatment that shimmers and sways as Sivan caresses the melody with Milo playing a counter-melody on bass. McLean starts out on brushes, then picks up drum sticks to move things temporarily into a higher gear. Pass It On is a happy, foot-tapping riff designed for maximum interplay at a moderate tempo that the trio has some fun with. Sivan starts it out with a long and typically well-constructed solo. Bassist Milo takes over briefly in a more meandering style, then gives way to more guitar and drum trades before Milo brings it back to the head. There are a pair of very brief Blossom Interludes scattered among the tracks, building up to the full song at the end of the disc. Blossoms is built from a quick flurry of guitar harmonics followed by a folky melody line and an improvisation that works variations on the theme. Sivans guitar has remained pretty clean throughout the disc, but his sound seems larger and with a touch more distortion here, which works to the songs advantage. He plays an expressive and uplifting solo. McLean, given a more dynamic role here, plays wonderfully, taking a brief but very effective solo. Its a fittingly tasteful conclusion for this rewarding and enjoyable debut."

—Stuart Kremsky (December 23, 2015)
http://skremsky.tumblr.com
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"Sivans in no hurry. Theres two minutes of ruminative bass before Spirals starts and its not the kind of balls-out virtuoso charge thats usually picked to front a showcase set. In fact, the overall mood of the record is thoughtful, and relaxed in its compositional complexity. Sivan has his sponsors already, convinced hes the next big thing in jazz guitar. Id say this is the natural successor to the Wes Montgomery trio, not in the obvious stylistic sense (though there are some nice octave runs) but in terms of group awareness, writing and general comportment. Peter Bernsteins various groups are another obvious connection.

The standard tune one surprisingly rarely called for in a jazz setting and the Tom Jobim tune are the only non-originals. Everything else is carefully measured, deceptively low-key modern jazz. The title track has a strange grandmothers footsteps quality to it, as if the two string instruments are stalking one another, Milo has a big, full voice and McLean a most musical approach. Its a faultless trio combination and a near-faultless record. Spirals peters out slightly and while the indeterminate ending is doubtless deliberate one sometimes feels Sivan is unwilling to close an idea with too strong a cadence.
Hes in no hurry, but hes going places fast and this is a record that anyone interested in the future of jazz guitar should check out promptly."

—Brian Morton (October 2015)
http://www.jazzjournal.co.uk
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"You will have to adjust your hearing slightly for the 30-year-old Israeli guitarist Rotem Sivans second album, For Emotional Use Only (Fresh Sound). Its a guitar-bass-drums trio (Haggai Cohen-Milo on bass, Mark McLean on drums) playing a new straight-ahead jazz language in a very live-in-the-studio way, with closeness, flexibility, immediacy.

Mr. Sivan runs through the music with natural confidence. Hes not spare. He plays a lot of notes. But he is quiet: almost always quieter than someone with this much training and musicality tends to be, and this is what makes him more than a very good young guitar player.

Made of all originals but two Jobims Useless Landscape, and the song A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes from the original Cinderella moviethe record is a three-way conversation that never stops, and Mr. Sivan adds passing notes, ornament and afterthought to everything. But hes not overbearing. He lets you hear the innate sound of his instrument, using classic jazz-guitar tone with dynamics and a searching quality to his improvising that risks awkwardness. Sometimes he appears to be fighting his own fluency: Here and there you hear him start a lick, or half-quote Charlie Parkers Au Privave, before stopping himself cold. He attains a kind of private language of hesitation and inward-turning commentary. Its the kind of thing that makes you listen harder."

—Bill Milkowski (December, 2014)
Downbeat
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"The Jerusalem-born guitarist now living in New York stakes out his own spot in the jazz guitar world with his second recording as a leader. Accompanied by bassist Haggai Cohen-Milo and drummer Mark McLean, the gifted guitarist combines energy, ideas and undeniable chops in a compelling program of originals and two well-chosen covers. From the lilting, odd-metered Spirals to an engaging swing through the nostalgic Disney song A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes (from 1950s Cinderella) to the poignant title track. Sivan plays conversationally with his gifted trio partners while also generously giving them plenty of solo room. A remarkable talent and a welcome new voice on the scene."

—Bill Milkowski (December, 2014)
Downbeat
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"Founts of Classic and Progressive in a Straight Ahead Way"

You will have to adjust your hearing slightly for the 30-year-old Israeli guitarist Rotem Sivans second album, For Emotional Use Only (Fresh Sound). Its a guitar-bass-drums trio (Haggai Cohen Milo on bass, Mark McLean on drums) playing a new straight-ahead jazz language in a very live-in-the-studio way, with closeness, flexibility, immediacy.

Mr. Sivan runs through the music with natural confidence. Hes not spare. He plays a lot of notes. But he is quiet: almost always quieter than someone with this much training and musicality tends to be, and this is what makes him more than a very good young guitar player.

Made of all originals but two Jobims Useless Landscape, and the song A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes from the original Cinderella movie the record is a three-way conversation that never stops, and Mr. Sivan adds passing notes, ornament and afterthought to everything. But hes not overbearing. He lets you hear the innate sound of his instrument, using classic jazz-guitar tone with dynamics and a searching quality to his improvising that risks awkwardness. Sometimes he appears to be fighting his own fluency: Here and there you hear him start a lick, or half-quote Charlie Parkers Au Privave, before stopping himself cold. He attains a kind of private language of hesitation and inward-turning commentary. Its the kind of thing that makes you listen harder."

—Ben Ratliff (September 26, 2014)
The New York Times
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"Quiet echoes of Jim Hall are felt on this delicate and subtle release by guitarist Rotem Sivan and his team of Haggai Cohen-Milo/b and Mark McLean/dr as they deliver gentle moods on this collection of originals minus one. Nimble bop is felt on Sefis Blues and the serenely rippling Blossom where soft mixtures of guitar, strings and brushes whisper melodies and rhythms. Subdued yet restless undertones are felt on the interludes that connect spacious and understated dynamics on A Dream Is a Wish Your Hearts Makes while McLeans brushes sashay on Useless Landscape. Leaning towards a mix of modern jazz and ambience, Sivan and company draws you in by speaking softly."

—George W. Harris (Sept. 29, 2014)
http://www.jazzweekly.com
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"Rotem Sivan has been immersed in music since an early age. The guitarist, a native of Israel, has a diverse group of influences, ranging from Bach and Mozart to Erik Satie, Bill Evans, Ahmad Jamal, Brad Mehldau and Jimi Hendrix, to name a few. Relocating to New York City after his graduation from Tel-Aviv University Music Academy, he earned a B.F.A. in Jazz and Contemporary Music with Honors at The New School. Sivan has been very active in the local jazz scene, playing with Ari Hoenig, Peter Bernstein, Paul Bollenback, Colin Stranahan, Yasushi Nakamura and others.

Sivan made his recording debut as a leader in 2013; his second CD features a trio with bassist Haggai Cohen-Milo and drummer Mark McLean. Recorded with an audience of friends and fans (though they were evidently outside the booth, since there is no audible reaction to the music), Sivan omitted headphones and separation between the musicians to achieve a natural sound, as if on a gig. Sivans melodic gifts are considerable with traces of Jim Hall while his intricate improvisations reflect contemporary artists like Pat Metheny. This trio session is a musical conversation,not just a leader accompanied by sidemen.

Sivan reveals his unconventional side by having Milo open with a bass solo (Intro to Spirals) to lead into the mysterious Spirals, a piece that constantly shifts direction with lively solos all around. The standard A Dream is a Wish Your Heart Makes has long been a favorite of jazz artists, but Sivan makes it his own, gradually transforming it from an intimate ballad into inventive bop, with Milos understated, thoughtful solo and McLeans nimble brushwork adding their color to this masterpiece. The magical interplay within Sivans dream-like title lullaby reveals a chemistry that all musicians strive to achieve while the guitarists whimsy is apparent in his darting Sefis Blues. Sivans diverse treatment of Antonio Carlos Jobims Useless Landscape ranges from spacious to edgy, though he never loses the essence of the song."

—Ken Dryden (February 24, 2015)
The New York City Jazz Record