With Every Other Now, saxophonist and composer Hillai Govreen delivers a bold and emotionally rich sonic journey that pushes beyond convention. This deeply collaborative project—crafted alongside bassist and co-producer Ben Meigners—features an elite lineup of New York-based musicians including Steve Cardenas, Eric McPherson, Eden Ladin, and Café Da Silva. The result is an expansive, genre-defying collection that captures both the uncertainty and vitality of contemporary life.
The recording is an invitation to enter a space where vulnerability, improvisation, and technical prowess converge. Mitch Borden, a longtime observer of New York’s jazz scene, perfectly captured the magic:
“Something in my heart leapt the first time I heard this music live… The atmosphere on stage gets heavy as someone begins to stretch… The music presented here is quite real. It is streetwise and intuitive. Its imagery is fashioned by bare passion and powerful imagination.”
Govreen's compositions do more than simply challenge the standard jazz idiom—they reshape it. While much of modern jazz grapples with precision and technical mastery, Govreen embraces the fluidity of expression. Every note feels lived-in. Every phrase feels personal. Original works on the album are more than compositions—they’re emotional reflections, raw sketches of life's uncertain, beautiful moments.
Track Personnel
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Hillai Govreen – Tenor Saxophone, Clarinet
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Noah Stoneman – Piano, Rhodes (tracks 1–4, 8, 9)
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Eden Ladin – Piano, Synth (tracks 5, 6)
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Steve Cardenas – Guitar (tracks 1–3, 5, 6)
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Ben Meigners – Upright Bass, Electric Bass
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Eric McPherson – Drums (tracks 1–3, 5–7, 9)
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William West – Drums (tracks 4, 8)
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Café Da Silva – Percussion (tracks 3, 4, 8)
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Greg Glassman – Trumpet (track 8)
Hillai Govreen is a clarinetist, saxophonist, and composer based in New York City. Known for her lyrical phrasing and genre-blending approach, Govreen is a dynamic voice on today’s jazz scene. Every Other Now is her second full-length project, following her debut album Allusions (2021), a duet with pianist Nitsan Kolko that explored spontaneous musical storytelling.
A graduate of The New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music, Hillai studied under jazz greats including Anat Cohen, Chris Cheek, Tony Malaby, Billy Harper, and Steve Cardenas. She has performed at some of New York’s most revered venues, such as Smalls, Mezzrow, Birdland, Dizzy’s Club, National Sawdust, and Ornithology. Her international tours have taken her across Europe, the U.S., Israel, and India.
Before relocating to the U.S., Hillai was raised in Israel, where she began classical piano studies at age six and later focused on clarinet under the mentorship of Professor Michael Gurfinkel. She received full scholarships and awards from the American Israel Cultural Foundation and was the principal clarinetist for the Young Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra.
Hillai is also an endorsing artist for P. Mauriat saxophones and clarinets.
With Every Other Now, Hillai Govreen stakes a powerful claim as a visionary artist deeply attuned to the emotional and philosophical resonance of music. It’s a recording that speaks to our shared humanity—with all its contradictions, improvisations, and fleeting beauty.
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