Born in 1969 in Petah-Tikva, Israel, Whilst still a teenager he moved to Shaarayim, the Yemenite neighbourhood in Rehovot. It was here he developed his interest in music and rhythm and where he learned and absorbed the influences of a richly diverse cultural community that included people from North Africa, east and central Europe, and the Middle East. He found himself particularly drawn to Yemenite culture, music, and rhythms.
Asaf started his professional career as a musician playing with many different young Jazz-Rock, Kleizmer, world music, and Free Jazz bands. During that time he co-operated with Israel's local Jazz/world luminaries such as Harold Rubin, Albert Beger, Yair Dlal and Eyal Sela. In 2000 Asaf and Gilad Atzmon formed The Orient House Ensemble, and this band went on to record 7 albums one of which won the 'Best CD of the Year' category at the BBC Jazz Award 2003.
He recorded the Inner Noise' first album ('Inner Noise', Konnex KCD 5113). 'Inner Noise' is widely considered a groundbreaking album and the music has been described as a new genre - 'Gothic Jazz'. The CD was chosen as one of the best albums of 2005 at the CHUOFM89 radio jazz station in Canada. Recently, Asaf is featured on the Lighthouse new album - Trio Lighthouse - that was released by the ACT record label in April 2012. The band toured throughout 2012.
He is a member of Larry Coryell's 'Power Trio' (featuring Larry Coryell on Guitar and Jeff Berlin on Bass), Nicolas Meier Group, a group that combines Jazz with Middle Eastern music, as well as working with other artists such as: Chick Corea, Jeff Berlin, John Abercrombie, Bob Sheppard, Mark Egan, Dave Liebman, David Binney, Gary Husband, John Taylor, Norma Winstone, Kenny Wheeler, Klaus Gesing(Austria).