"Living the dream" is a phrase we musicians use with a bit of sarcasm when on the road, touring, driving for 7 hours straight to the next show or waking up at 5am to catch a plane after only 3 hours of sleep. This "gallows humor" is very funny when you're sleep deprived, but the truth is we all know very well that our lives are a dream come true - to live a life doing what we love the most - making music. Inside this large dream there are many small ones that we fantasize about. Some come true and some don't, but we keep trying, moving forward from one dream to the next. Israeli Song is the story of a little dreamy boy who heard Ron Carter's walking bass on a Miles Davis record and wished he was Wayne Shorter. It's about a teenager who heard Joe Henderson playing at the Red Sea Jazz Festival on the radio (because he was not old enough to travel on his own) and wished that one day he'd be "gliding" on top of Al Foster's ride symbol. It is also about a young student who was in awe when he first heard Brad Mehldau play "All the Things You Are" at the Village Vanguard, and was instantly opened to a new way of approaching tradition. I am forever grateful to have been able to record this album which is a reflection of who I am: an Israeli boy who fell in love with Jazz, envisioned life as a Jazz musician, now playing his own song alongside his heroes - an Israeli Song. ~ Eli Degibri, March 2010 Personnel: Eli Degibri - Tenor and Soprano Saxophones Brad Mehldau - Piano Ron Carter - Bass Al Foster - Drums