Itamar’s music holds a depth and sensitivity that touches listeners deeply.
It blends the delicateness of Middle Eastern music, the freedom found in jazz and the passion of flamenco, creating a unique sound all his own. Recipient of the 2014 ACUM Prize for Special Achievement in Jazz and the prestigious 2014 Landau Prize, Itamar Erez is an internationally renowned composer and guitarist who has shared the stage with such musicians as Omar Faruk Tekbilek, Jean-Louis Matinier, Zohar Fresco, and others.
Itamar has released 4 CDs so far, two with his quartet The Adama Ensemble: “Desert Song” (2006) & “Hommage” (2010), “New Dawn” (2013), is a duet collaboration with Yshai Afterman (percussion), with special guest Antonio Serrano (harmonica).
His most recent CD “Mi Alegria” was released in June 2019 with the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, and has received raving reviews, both nationally and internationally, including a nomination for the 2020 Instrumental Artist of the Year Award from the Canadian Folk Music Awards.
Itamar performs internationally and gives workshops and masterclasses, teaching his unique approach to music and guitar playing.
In recent years, Itamar has performed in Canada, USA, Israel, Germany, Greece, Netherlands, Austria, Cyprus, Israel, India, Tunisia, Hungary, Colombia & Surinam. Itamar made his Carnegie Hall (NY) debut Apr 2018 performing with the Omar Faruk Tekbilek Ensemble with Ara Dinjkian & Brian Keane as special guests.
Among the venues and festivals that Itamar played throughout his career were: Barbican Hall (London UK), Sydney Opera (Sydney, Australia), the Jerusalem Jazz Festival (Israel), Oman Opera House, The Megaron (Athens, Greece), Schauspiel Leipzig (Germany), Amsterdam Jewish Music Festival (Holland), the Vancouver International Jazz Festival, Carnegie Hall (NY), and others.
Between September 20th- October 15th 2019, Itamar toured in Europe with ‘Nacht Der Gitarren’. With him on stage were Lulo Reinhardt (Germany), Daniel Stelter (Germany), Yuliya Lonskaya (Belarus). Circa 20 shows were booked in venues in Germany, Holland and Austria. In 2022 Itamar will be performing at ‘JazzAhead’ Bremen (Germany) with his quartet.
Apart from his busy composing and touring life, Itamar is also teaching at the guitar, jazz and world music faculty at the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra School Of Music.
For more current info and getting in touch with Itamar please go the website:
Past Shows:
DATE: December 20, 2020
TIME: 11:30 AM – 7:30 PM EST
EVENT: CONNECTED WORLD: A Winter World Music Celebration… Virtually!
VENUE: Shady Acres Studio (St. Catharines) (This event will be Livestreamed)
PRICE: FREE
Click here for event details
Previous Season Shows
DATE: August 23, 2020
TIME: 2 PM – 3 PM EDST
EVENT: LIVEstream.LOVE.WORLD Series
VENUE: Shady Acres Studio (St. Catharines) and Vancouver (This event will be Livestreamed)
PRICE: FREE
Click here for event details