On September 9, 2003, Avishai Cohen's new record label Razdaz Recordz released its first recording, Avishai's brilliantly conceived and wonderfully diverse new recording Lyla (Lyla means "night" in Hebrew). Lyla, a collection of music that shows Avishai Cohen from the inside out. Lyla is a study of self-discovery and self-realization through music and musical relationships that can also bring the listener to discovery and introspection. Lyla reflects much of who I am as an artist. The International Vamp Band has been touring for two years and I wanted to document that. I also formed the rock band Gadu with some young musicians who are graduates of William Paterson College. It's causing quite a stir in New York, and drummer and electronic specialist Mark Guiliana and I have been exploring a lot of new territory. I also worked on pop songs with a singer named Lola. And of course, to show the whole picture on the CD, I wanted to mention my relationship with Chick. I've been involved with him for six years and have played hundreds of shows in his bands, so we're very connected. On Lyla, Cohen cultivates imaginative compositions and arrangements, creating distinctive sonic textures and colors, delivering enticing melodies as well as cutting dance grooves, and adventurously covering pop tunes like "The Watcher" by Dr. Dre and "Come Together" by the Beatles. Cohen plays acoustic and electric basses, piano, Wurlitzer, Fender Rhodes and even sings the closing song, the lullaby-like "Simple Melody." The CD features Cohen's International Vamp Band on straightforward and rhythmically charged tracks, drummer and electronics specialist Mark Guiliana on more pop/rock-oriented numbers, singers Lola and Jeff Taylor on a couple of tracks, and jazz great Chick Corea on a rousing piano-bass duet of his lyrical gem "Eternal Child."