ODED TZUR QUARTET AT JAZZ STANDARD, nyc, FEB 12

• photography by ©Clara Pereira / text by Filipe Freitas

On Wednesday, February 12, at Jazz Standard, Israeli saxophonist Oded Tzur presented music from his most recent album, Here Be Dragons, the first for the ECM Records. On stage, he was backed by the well-versed musicians who appear on the album: pianist Nitai Hershkovitz, bassist Petros Klampanis, and drummer Johnathan Blake.

The intimacy of this first set, which the people in the room fully respected by remaining silent, was extraordinary. On the contrary of what many people think, playing in a quiet, intimate way is much more challenging than playing lively swing progressions, and the quartet excelled in that aspect. The broad melodic concepts of Tzur's compositions were present throughout the program, and his narrative depth often benefits from emblematic microtonal approaches and knowledge of Indian music.

It all began with “20 Years”, with the quartet working dynamics after a whispered main statement, followed by the smooth Eastern dance of “To Hold Your Hand”, and then a stimulating, rhythmic piece that seems not to be part of the album. In the course of the latter, Blake conquered the audience with the ability of turning a simple rhythm into something wider and colorful. After telling the story (verbally and musically) of the strikingly poetic title track, “Here Be Dragons”, Tzur delivered the seductive “The Dream” and concluded with the pop hit “Can’t Help Falling in Love”, which also closes out the album. The ensemble took these tunes to nearly perfection.