Oded Tzur

“You will not hear anything more beautiful today.” – Télérama, France New York saxophonist Oded Tzúr has ushered in a new era for his instrument by giving it a whole new voice — one that is described by The Guardian as a “unique tenor sax whisper”. Often recalled by the artist as a 10-year leap of faith, this complete reimagining of the instrument has established him as a torchbearer of Spiritual Jazz. His music is more than a conversation, states the New York City Jazz Record: “It is an interactive prayer". Tzúr’s body of work anoints music as the epicenter of a spiritual discipline: a prophet that tells us not about the future, but about who we really are. Through myth-like suites of abstract narrative, the bandleader tells the story of an all powerful deity, experiencing everything from sobering murmurs to cathartic, unabashed ecstasy. Following his 2022 release Isabela, which was named one of the 10 best Jazz albums of the year by The Guardian, Tzúr continues his epic journey with My Prophet, to be released on ECM Records in 2024. Accompanied by his long-time colleagues Nitai Hershkovits on piano and Petros Klampanis on bass, and joined by the newest member of the band — Brazilian drummer Cyrano Almeida — this is Tzúr’s most accomplished work to date. While remaining a seamless continuation of his previous meditations, My Prophet is as wild and daring as it is centered and focused, and promises to uplift the listener to new heights.