Record Reviews

TAL GUR ~ AIR PORTRAIT NOT ON LABEL (Barcode: 7290012058035) ~ ISRAEL ~ Jazz Recorded: 2007 Released: 2007 1st album by Israeli saxophonist Tal GurFind albums by this artist with his quartet, which includes guitarist Ido BukelmanFind albums by this artist, bassist Ehud EttunFind albums by this artist and drummer Ariel ArmoniFind albums by this artist. Gur also composed all the music recorded on the album. The quartet performs excellently, considering the relatively tender age of the participants and the compositions are interesting and well developed. Buckelman is doing an excellent job by constructing layers of harmonics behind the leader, using electronic effects on his guitar, but avoiding any Fusion excursions. This is all straight-ahead contemporary Jazz, well executed and inspiring, although very much inside the established plateau and with no intentions to revolutionize anything. It is interesting to note that Gur plays the “straight” alto saxophone, an unusual version of the alto, which looks like the soprano. The instrument does have a unique sound, which adds to the album’s originality. Altogether an excellent debut and another promise for the future of Israeli Jazz, which is enjoying quite a renaissance since the turn of the Century. Definitely worth investigating!

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