Anat Cohen is part of a family of talented jazz and world fusion musicians from Israel that includes brothers saxophonist Yuval and trumpeter Avishai. The three have even made a couple of albums together as The Three Cohens, but with four albums already to her solo credit, sister Anat has shown without a doubt that she can stand on her own.

Cohen’s primary weapon of choice is the trusty old clarinet, but that doesn’t hold her back from tearing it up on just about any other woodwind available, whether that’s a bass clarinet, tenor saxophone, or a soprano saxophone. Her music of choice is jazz that’s world-flavored, particularly that part of the world where her native Israel is located. But she doesn’t constrain herself to some form of klezmer as some world-jazz clarinetists are prone to do these days; other elements such as Latin rhythms and classical arrangements often play a role in her musical tapestry, too.

This Berklee School of Music grad have brought home several accolades, such as Downbeat Magazine’s Rising Star-Clarinet for 2007 and 2008, as well as the Jazz Journalists Association Clarinetist of the Year for the same two years. Cohen’s latest album, 2008’s widely acclaimed Notes from the Village, is arguably her best, revealing continued growth as a bandleader, interpreter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist. At the rate Anat is going, she may soon overtake brother Avishai’s high stature. Sometimes, sibling rivalry is a good thing.