Oded Tzur, a New York City-based saxophonist and composer, is also a bandleader. His work is influenced by Indian classical music and Jazz and explores the fundamental connections between musical traditions. Tzur was also responsible for developing “Middle Path”, which extends the instrument’s microtonal capabilities. Oded Tzur is a Tel Aviv native and was a protégé of Prof. Gersh Geller. His musical training included a variety of musical styles. His interest in improvised music led to his discovery of the ancient art form of Indian classical music. This has been the focus of his work. Tzur spent about 10 years working to expand the instrument’s microtonal range in order to have the rare opportunity to play Indian music, a style that is heavily based upon microtonality. Tzur describes his experience as “Indian instruments feel very comfortable playing between the notes.” For example, you can pull the string of a Sitar and it will slide seamlessly. To bring the saxophone into this condition, we must first understand its inherent acoustic behavior and then how we can intentionally change them to allow pitch fluidity. Tzur was accepted to the Rotterdam World Music Academy’s Indian music program in 2007. He was the first Indian flutist to teach him saxophone. Hariprasad Chaurasia. The saxophonist has been greatly influenced by Chaurasia’s phrasing, rhythmic mastery and spiritual depth. It was a long process that involved many sessions. Chaurasia would play a melody using the Bansuri, an Indian flute. Tzur would then need to translate the melody onto the saxophone. Tzur’s unique style and improvisations have helped to refine his technique. Tzur’s technique has been a topic of interest to saxophonists across the globe, from San Fransisco to Sydney. Tzur was invited to speak on the topic at several institutions such as Trinity College of Music in London, Copenhagen Conservatory, Amsterdam Conservatory, and many others. The saxophonist says that the subject started out as a solo practice, and was considered impossible at the beginning. It’s amazing to see how much attention the technique has received over the years. Tzur, Petros Klampanis, Shai Maestro and Ziv Ravitz moved to New York in 2011 to form the Oded Tzur Quartet. Tzur’s work as a composer changed with this step. He was now able to slide between the notes of the clarinet and the melodic worlds of Indian classical music, jazz, and Indian classical music. The quartet has been touring Europe and the U.S. since its inception, presenting its unique language for improvisation, which is a language that combines the melodic architecture of Indian music with the spirit of a jazz quartet. Tzur’s debut album, “Like a Great River” (Enja Records 2015), was a huge success and established him as a unique voice in the jazz scene today. from http://www.odedtzur.com
