Biography

Growing up on the kibbutz in Israel, there was always music in our home. My parents emigrated from Chile and Yemen, so between them I was heavily influenced by Latin and African-based music and rhythms. Both of my parents truly love music and encouraged me at an early age to study classical flute. Because of my extreme free spirit, I sought out a musical form that broke beyond the constraints of classical music. It was there that I found jazz the freest and most expressive music out there.

I got my first taste of international performance representing Israel on a 1978 European tour of Israeli folk music and dance. After several years of playing flute I was drawn to the sound of the saxophone, began playing tenor and alto saxophone and became increasingly passionate about jazz. I emigrated to the U.S. in 1986 to study jazz performance at Berklee School of Music. I studied with some of America's great jazz masters and began playing jazz both nationally and internationally.