"Israel belongs to the select group of drummers, Art Blakey, Max Roach, Paul Motian and Ronald Shannon Jackson among them - who approach bandleading with fresh and distinctive vision. In both his playing and his writing he avoids clutter, and he has succeeded in creating a band very much in his own image; embracing traditional values without aping past designs. It has a spare, concise quality even at its busiest." Neil Tesser, Chicago Reader

"Yoron Israel's new CD, A Gift For You is a sparkling creative musical offering from a fine young drummer who has good taste, a sense of direction and a feeling of joy in his drumming, compositions and arrangements. Yoron Israel, in my mind, is an important voice you should listen to." Jack DeJohnette

"From Abbey Lincoln to Sonny Rollins to Atilla Zoller, Yoron Israel and his traps have been welcome on diverse bandstands. He's one of these MVP drummers, capable of driving a large ensemble, coaxing a piano trio,nursing a vocalist, or slashing and bashing a smokin' quintet." Willard Jenkins, JazzTimes

"Masterful music by some of today's most promising musicians. A good balance of very interesting material. Yoron Israel demonstrates admirably his special ability as a drummer, composer and band leader." * * *1/2"Unwilling to simply blend in the with the rhythmic undergirding on his auspicious debut as a leader, Israel drives this tasty set from the drum seat. He prods his bandmates with rich sonorities, jaunty ride rhythms and numerous thrilling solos. He scampers through the bop-charged "Gavriel's Dance", skitters and chatters out the beat on the rousing "O.H.!" and sparks the full swing of "The Move" with an invigorating drum intro." Dan Ovelette, Downbeat

"Israel is an excellent, tasteful drummer, a young Max Roach in the making. His wry and never hammy rhythmic asides and crisply delivered solos had the happy groundings clapping madly." Owen McNally, The Hartford Courant

Yoron Israel has organized a quintet he calls the "Connection," with guitarist Ed Cherry and vibist Bryan Carrot that can do no better than reflect the lean, driving forcefulness of the leader." Gary Giddins, The Village Voice

"One of the metropolitan area's top young jazz drummer-percussionists." George Kanzler, The Star-Ledger

This well-deserved debut as a leader allows Yoron ample feature time and furthers his promise as a composer. With his impressive facility, smooth swing, exquisite brushwork, masterly shading, and wellspring of ideas, Yoron is proving to be one of the jazz drumming world's finest "new" faces of the '90s." Jeff Potter, Modern Drummer

"...displays deft stick and brush work in a straight ahead bebop context...doesn't overpower the listener with chops or idiomatic point of view (though it's lacking in neither)." Gene Kalbacher, Hot House