Anat Cohen’s Musical Evolution: A 50th Birthday Celebration at SFJAZZ

Clarinetist and composer Anat Cohen returns to San Francisco this season for a significant event that reflects the breadth of her career. On Thursday, December 11, and Friday, December 12, Cohen performs at SFJAZZ’s Miner Auditorium for her "50th Birthday Celebration," a program that explores the full range of her artistic expression. From the intimacy of duos to the power of a large ensemble, the evening offers a musical biography of one of modern jazz’s most expressive voices. (click play to listen to our interview with Anata Cohen.)

The Architecture of the Ensemble

The highlight of these performances is the smooth blending of Cohen's various musical projects, especially her work with the "Tentet" and its smaller version, Quartetinho. The sound is much richer and more intricate, primarily due to the musicians' high skill level.

“Quartetinho means 'little quartet,' and this is a band that actually grew out of the 10-piece band, the Tentet," Cohen explains regarding the group's origins. "We'll be playing at SFJAZZ with both bands. In the ensemble, every musician has at least two instruments, which really expands the possibilities of sound.”

The audience at Miner Auditorium can anticipate a tonal shift that challenges typical jazz instrumentation. Cohen explains the specific versatility she expects from her collaborators: "For example, Vitor Gonçalves plays piano and accordion, James Shipp plays vibraphone and percussion, and Tal Mashiach, the bass player, usually only plays bass, but I convinced him to also play guitar, his original instrument."

This flexibility enables the group to explore a wide range of genres within a single set. "You can have different instrument combinations in various songs—sometimes vibraphone, accordion, guitar, and clarinet, and other times percussion, bass, keyboard, and some electronics," Cohen notes. "Besides that, these guys are very adaptable with different musical styles. They’re very open-minded musicians. They can shift from the loveliest melodies and purest sounds to the wildest, craziest noises just to explore the scope of what, you know, whatever it can hit or produce, including unconventional piano sounds. So, they're unapologetic, and I love that about them."

Visualizing the Sound

Cohen’s latest release, Bloom, includes the track "The Night Owl," which showcases her unique compositional process—a process the SFJAZZ audience will observe in real time. The piece didn’t start as a fully arranged composition but as a solitary practice session.

“The night I started, it was just me and a metronome practicing," Cohen recalls. "The beautiful thing is that when I play by myself, I have to imagine everything around me. I visualized the band because it started as a solo piece for clarinet. So, I'm imagining different styles and accompaniments the band could play with me while you don't hear them.”

This internal visualization eventually becomes the complex interplay heard on stage. "Everything is happening. The band is in my head. So, in that case, I have a band that represents some of the ideas in my head. They almost describe the etude. They helped the song become what I was hearing in my head."

The Eternal Student

Despite her international fame and years of touring, Cohen approaches this milestone birthday with a learner’s mindset rather than that of a master. She is currently working toward a master’s degree at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, a pursuit that enhances her already deep connection to Brazilian music.

"I love being a student, and that's something that has never ended, even though I went to school almost 30 years ago at Berklee College of Music," she says. "We musicians are students for life. So this is something that stays with me. I also appreciate the academic life and understand the importance of music education, the power of music, the value of personal encounters, and making music together."

This academic rigor shapes the program for the SFJAZZ concerts, which features her longtime collaborator Oded Lev-Ari as musical director. The performance combines her busy touring schedule with her reflective studies. "I’ve decided that it's close to my goal, and I want to figure out how to contribute to the clarinet world with my skills."

A Night of Dynamic Shifts

The upcoming concerts are designed to showcase the contrast in Cohen's musical journey—balancing detailed arrangements with impromptu energy. The program includes collaborations with her duet partner Marcello Gonçalves and the full Tentet, forming a narrative that transitions from personal to orchestral.

“The whole idea of the Tentet was to find the most flexible, large ensemble that can take us through different musical journeys—journeys that are adaptable and can shift gears," Cohen states. "My life is always changing, especially around birthday celebrations. I'm not going to perform everything I've ever played, but over the past decade, I’ve focused quite a bit on Brazilian music.”

For Cohen, the ensemble's shifting dynamics come naturally. "It's easy because that's my life, that's what I do," she affirms. The outcome for the ticket holder is a performance that spans the entire emotional spectrum. As Cohen herself mentions about the atmosphere at Miner Auditorium: "There's gonna be some very intimate moments, and also some wild and party moments."

TICKET INFO

Don't miss this chance to see a modern jazz legend at her peak. Anat Cohen's 50th Birthday Celebration provides a rare look into the creative journey of a master musician, set against the backdrop of one of the world's top jazz venues. Book your seats now for an evening that smoothly transitions from reflective beauty to joyful celebration.

Show Details: Anat Cohen, December 11-12, at SFJAZZ Miner Auditorium, showtime 7:30 p.m. Tickets available at: https://www.sfjazz.org/

For fans in Davis, California, the Anat Cohen Tentet will perform at the Mondavi Center on Saturday, December 13, 2025. Ticket info here.