Gilad Atzmon, born on June 9, 1963 in Jerusalem, is an Israeli-born British jazz saxophonist. Influenced by Charlie Parker, Atzmon studied composition and jazz at the Rubin Academy of Music in Jerusalem. He toured with his own band and worked as a producer and arranger for artists like Ofra Haza, Jack DeJohnette, and Michel Petrucciani. In 1984, Atzmon joined the Israeli Air Force Band. He left Israel in the late 1980s and settled in Britain in 1993, becoming a British citizen in 2002. His debut album Spiel was released in 1994. Atzmon founded the Orient House Ensemble in 2000, which won the BBC Jazz Award for "Best Album of the Year" in 2003 with their release Exile. Notable albums include In Loving Memory of America and Songs of the Metropolis, the latter being named Best Album 2013 by Jazz Journal Critics’ Poll.
