Thirty-seven year-old [Ariel Horowitz] came to notice in 1998 when he put out his first album on the Helicon label, Yalla Bye. At the time, much was made of the fact that Horowitz's mother was none other than legendary singer/songwriter [Naomi Shemer]. The "son of" tag was further compounded by the fact that Shlomo Artzi's son, Ben, also released his debut offering around the same time. Suddenly, the music publications and the entertainment sections of the leading nationals were awash with "second generation" profiles.

"The one artist who has influenced me more than anyone is Costello," he says. Needless to say, the gentleman in question is British rocker Elvis Costello and not one half of the 1930s and 1940s slapstick duo Abbot and Costello. "Costello did practically everything, from pop to rock, punk and jazz," Horowitz continues. "I don't do punk, but I do everything else, including a bit of avant garde and intellectual rock."

HOROWITZ'S THREE albums to date indeed cover expansive terrain. Some of Horowitz's early classical training comes through in snippets, and there is the occasional glimpse of other early influences like the Beatles, Pink Floyd and jazz superstar pianist Keith Jarrett. But typically, Horowitz followed his very own learning curve. "My mother sent me to study classical piano with Daniel Barenboim's mother," he recalls. "I lasted a year with her. Ever since, I've been my own teacher."