View Now - "A Fatal Error" (by Shlomi Cohen) Live @ Red Sea Jazz Festival 1999

The early Years:

CONFUSION was conceived as Bassist Asaf Kofler and Guitarist Itay Lasky (although only teenagers at the time, but already attending music academy) sought out like-minded musicians with one word in mind: FUSION. Growing up listening to cutting-edge Fusion, the term meant more to them than just a style of Jazz – it meant a philosophy and a way of life, manifesting itself as an independent artform, which is, in fact, the limitless sum of all music. With this concept in mind, finding the right musicians to collaborate with was not an easy task, as in Mid-Nineties Israel Fusion legends the likes of Chick Corea, Pat Metheny and Michael Brecker were not exactly household names. Fortunately, Drummer Eran Asias and Saxophonist Shlomi Cohen (both students attending the Tel Aviv music Conservatory at the time), who had the same concept in mind, soon joined the group, and began rehearsing original compositions. The ensemble's line-up was completed only when the 15 years old wunderkind, Keyboardist Ruslan Sirota – then already a virtuoso improviser and master composer – had crossed their path, transforming the group from an aspiring garage band to a professional Quintet, building an original repertoire and creating a distinct sound and musical language.
Soon thereafter, the band started performing in prominent Tel Aviv clubs and getting noticed by the Israeli Jazz Scene. In early 1998 the band released the self-produced album "CUSTOM MADE" (see bottom of page for samples), gaining critical acclaim and success transcending the boundaries of Jazz, getting played on both Jazz and mainstream radio stations, and becoming what is still considered to be one of the most popular Fusion albums recorded in Israel. Shortly after the release, CONFUSION got multiple invitations to play at the most prestigious venues and festivals in Israel, including two consecutive appearances at the international Red Sea Jazz Festival in 1998 and 1999, then featuring international Jazz-Fusion legends such as Micheal Brecker, Allen Holdsworth, Chick Corea, and many others on the festival's program. The band's concert in the 1999 festival was televised, and reran on Israeli TV many times over the years. CONFUSION broke the boundaries of Jazz also by collaborating with mainstream Israeli Pop artists, becoming a highly sought after backing band, and getting commissioned by Israeli music legend and founding father of Israeli Pop-Rock, the Late Shmulik Kraus, to arrange and record a Fusion rendition for one of his greatest hits, "Roim Rakhok" – a great honor, which produced one of the band's greatest hits, still being played on Israeli radio some 20 years later.
In the year 2000 CONFUSION disbanded very amicably, as band members went each on their separate ways, relocating to Boston, New York, Madrid and Los Angeles, and building remarkable individual musical careers. Over the years, though in different parts of the world, band members remained closest of friends, but for 17 years did not play music together, until…