Oded Tzur – Here Be Dragons
(ECM 083 5998. CD review by Peter Bacon)
Oded Tzur makes an extraordinary sound with his tenor saxophone. I suppose the last time I was quite so struck – entranced might be a better word – with the sound of a specific instrument played by a specific musician was when I first became aware of Arve Henriksen. Just as the Norwegian can sometimes make his trumpet sound closer to the shakuhachi, the ancient Far Eastern bamboo flute, so the Tel Aviv-born, New York-based Tzur gives his tenor a distinctly flute-like timbre, though in his case it is the Indian bansuri which is suggested.
All becomes clearer when one reads Steve Lake’s essay in the CD booklet: Tzur has studied with bansuri master Hariprasad Chaurasia, and the influence of Indian music extends beyond the sound of his saxophone to the inspirations behind and structures of individual pieces on this quartet disc. Four of the eight tracks have raga influences and one uses an Indian scale, Lake tells us.
On piano is fellow Israeli/New Yorker Nitai Hershkovits (he will be remembered from bassist Avishai Cohen’s band), on double bass is the Greek Petros Klampanis, and the drummer is Johnathan Blake, from Philadelphia. It’s a marvellous band, each player bringing their own “thing” but each also dedicated to honouring the distinct character of Tzur’s music. The result is an album that has already spent a large chunk of time in my player and is likely to be making frequent visits for years to come.
The CD booklet also contains a neat, fanciful essay from Tzur explaining the album and opening song title with a brief outline of a purported quest by Florentine architect Filippo Brunelleschi (he of that famous dome) in search of dragons out on the world’s oceans. It’s as beguilling as his playing.
The album opens with that saxophone against a bass thrum, a shimmer of cymbals and some graceful insertions from Hershkovits before the pianist inherits, briefly, the melody from Tzur, soon handing it back before they share it in harmony. This melody has a gorgeous, falling leitmotif which returns from time to time. Bass, piano and saxophone solos follow, each one strongly melodic and thoughtful, as if the mood is being handed on.
Oded Tzur in concert, Pancevo Jazz Festival, Serbia. Photo © John Watson/jazzcamera.co.uk
Categories: CD reviews
Very nice review and spot on as far as I am concerned. Going to be a strong contender for my album of the year. I saw this band play live in concert last weekend and was totally blown away by the experience. Fabulous.