The Amazing Anat and Anat Cohen

I suspect that the two persons pictured are actually one and the same. But I can only find a couple of blog posts that make a bare assertion that they are the same. The first is a 1994 release by The Amazing Anat, and the second is of Anat Cohen, a New York Grammy nominated professional jazz musician who specializes in Latin jazz (born in 1979). If they are the same person, then she would have been 14 years old when the CD was released. It's unusual, but not unheard of (look at Stevie Wonder).

Those blog posts state that "The Amazing Anat" had some minor success with a couple of releases, then left the world of music, and moved to America.

The fun part is that the CD contains an adaptation of Sweet Child o' Mine , with Hebrew lyrics that ACUM credits to a certain Jesse Towers (who wrote and performed a 1979 disco song called Give Me Your Body While We're Dancin')!?

So if these are actually the same person, I imagine her New York handlers told her to bury her earlier discography. And here I am trying to dig it up out of the grave.

Can anyone else make a connection?

PS: All of Anat Cohen's discographies state that her debut release was in 2005.

PPS: I couldn't find much on Jesse Towers, either.

Last edit: 2019-03-12 08:38:11 UTC by David King

Actually, those blog posts don't even say they are the same person, its just some circumstantial evidence.

Possibly, the mostly stated 1979 is simply not right? Although Anat Cohen's homepage doesn't seem to mention a birth date anywhere, some data may back up discogs' 1975.

F. ex.: If 1979, she would have been only 14 when joining the Israeli Air Force band in 1993 - to avoid the military service, obligatory at 18 or 19, and to play an instrument she only learnt playing at 16?

One thing is for sure, though: This and that releases are by someone else...

Hope this helps!

Yes, 1979 can't be correct. That date is not backed up with any evidence at Wikipedia. I'm fairly positive that the two artists are the same, but I want to find actual documentation. I'll check back on her in a while.

Anat is a common Israeli first name name. After looking at the photos of these two women (see attachment), they appear different to me. I don't believe these two artists are the same.

Here is some of the biographical info about Anat Cohen that I have found.

Native of Tel Aviv.

At age 12 she began studying the clarinet.

At age 16 she began majoring in jazz at the Thelma Yellin High School of the Arts.

After graduation she served in the military.

1993-1995 played in the Israeli Air Force band.

1996 She came to the United States as a scholarship student at Boston's Berklee College of Music.

1999 She moved to New York City.

Last edit: 2019-06-29 19:42:48 UTC by SlimD

I see that Anat Cohen's website contains most, if not all, of the biographical information I included in my last note.

If she were 16 while in high school and didn't join the military until after graduation she would have had to been born before 1979. Yet an article dated January 4, 2008 in The Jewish News of Northern California described her as 32 years old.

I want to look into this further.

Last edit: 2019-06-29 20:22:40 UTC by SlimD

1975-76 would have to be correct. I agree the two pictures you posted look like different people, but the ones I originally posted look the same (if you ignore the hair).

Here's hoping you can find more information.

I am very sure those two artists are not the same and I don't think we should be confused by some Anat Cohen live clips on youtube describing her as 'amazing'.

As far as I know, Anat Cohen never appeared as a vocalist and, except for in the miltary band, never played anything but (various styles of) Jazz.

The so called Amazing Anat is presented as an oriental pop singer, though. Futhermore, on all three CDs found (1991 - 1993), she is actually just called Anat (ענת). Same goes for her 2004 DVD (which may have been filmed earlier), again showing a woman absolutely not looking like Anat Cohen and pictured in a way Anat Cohen would never be.

And on Tracehook you can see what the Amazing Anat looks like today...

PS: I wouldn't have discovered this thread if hadn't added Anat Cohen and her brothers.

Well, it can be amazing what make-up can do to a woman's looks. I'm sure they are one and the same person, but without something more definitive, will not make the connection for SHS purposes (it looks like I won't be adding this album anytime soon). And no, I'm not confused about the description "amazing Anat" on Youtube. That is not the same as a proper title. I also think the woman with that Facebook page is a different Anat altogether, other than the one (or two) we are discussing here.

PS: Those two pictures SlimD posted look like the same person to me, if you look close enough. But again, not enough to go on.

PPS: The Hebrew on the CDs translates to "Amazing Anat". That's not the same as "amazing Anat", of course.

Last edit: 2019-07-03 01:35:59 UTC by David King