Avishai has recently won the German Echo Jazz Award for, ‘Instrumentalist in des Jahres International Bass’ (‘International Bassist of the Year’) for his album ‘Duende’. The Echo is one of the most prestigious music awards in the world, and has taken place annually since 1992. The Echo has since expanded to a classical awards ceremony and a jazz awards ceremony of which many artists attend. As well as the giving and receiving of awards, the awards show boasted performances from several national and international musicians, including Jamie Cullum, Joshua Redman Quartet and the NDR Big Band with Wolfgang Schlüter und Giovanni Weiss among others.

Avishai was unable to attend the ceremony which took place in May but he has since received the award and feels very honoured to have won such recognition from the German music industry.