The Checkout—Live at Berklee Presents Tom Oren Trio
Tom Oren
Image by Josh Wool
On November 20, award-winning jazz musician Tom Oren will perform at the Red Room at Cafe 939. The winner of the 2018 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition, judged by Herbie Hancock, Oren will perform original compositions with Elam Friedlander on bass and Eviatar Slivnik on drums.
Born in Tel Aviv, Israel, Oren has played music since age six. Graduating with honors from the Israeli Conservatory of Music, as well as the Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts, he attended Berklee on a full scholarship. Known for his talents as a pianist, arranger, and composer, Oren has performed with world-renowned musicians, most recently as a core member of the Eli Degibri Quartet; and he has performed globally at events such as the Jarasum Jazz Festival in Korea, the International Jazz Day celebration in Russia, the Newport Jazz Festival, and the Red Sea Jazz Festival, among many others.
Yet even with his many accolades, Oren remains committed first and foremost to growing in the art he loves. “One of the most humbling things about music is that the learning never ends,” Oren remarks. “I cannot play, compose, or create anything in a vacuum: knowledge of the tradition and legacy of the music, and respect for [the masters], is essential for sounding your own voice in a way that is truly valid.”
His performance at Cafe 939 will be notable for Oren—performing at Berklee, a place that remains special to him since beginning his studies in 2012. “So much of what I’ve learned at Berklee…applies to music as well as it applies to life. I have learned to let go of fear without letting go of thinking. I have learned what it really means to be in the spirit of the moment, and I have learned to show true trust, to your friends and to yourself, as we are all here to help each other out.”
Tom Oren Trio’s live performance will be broadcast as part of WBGO’s the Checkout—Live at Berklee multimedia concert series, as well as webcast live from WBGO in HD video. Tickets are $10 for the general public (seated) and free with a Berklee ID. Tickets are available now.
