Oded Tzur Quartet (ISR/USA)

Described by Downbeat Magazine as "A Volcano at the Bottom of the Ocean", Oded Tzur’s music is a microcosm in which blues, Indian ragas, synagogue prayers and classical music form an unmistakable storytelling style. Based in New York, the Israeli-born saxophonist, composer and bandleader explores the fundamental connections between ancient and modern musical traditions, resulting in a group dubbed "The Coltrane Quartet of the 21st Century".
ECM Records artist Oded Tzur stands out for his use and development of microtonality on the saxophone. First presented at Trinity College Of Music in London, and more recently at the Juilliard School in New York, this decade-long project is the result of Tzur’s studies with the great Indian bansuri master, Hariprasad Chaurasia. The way the Indian flute moves smoothly from pitch to pitch inspired the saxophonist to go beyond what was deemed possible for his instrument.