Hybrid [CD]

An energised and impassioned studio session from New York-based Slovenian saxophonist Jure Pukl, Croatian pianist Matija Dedic and their quartet with bassist Matt Brewer and drummer Johnathan Blake brings new release, Hybrid, to the Whirlwind label.   Pukl's prolific ascendancy of the international jazz scene has resulted in numerous solo and sideman recordings, recognised in 2015 by the attainment of Slovenia's highest national arts award. His collaborations include names such as Branford Marsalis, Jeff "Tain" Watts, Dave Liebman and Vijay Iyer; and like-minded colleague Matija Dedic's varied career has seen him perform with artists including Larry Grenadier, John Hollenbeck, Jeff Ballard and Kendrick Scott. Across a venturesome sixty-seven minutes of mostly original numbers, the individual compositions of both Pukl and Dedic; stimulate a fiery, improvisational spirit throughout the quartet, their respect for tradition translating into a spontaneous, contemporary context which also embraces elements of free jazz. The immediacy of these live studio takes is palpable, from the sprawling fast swing of title track "Hybrid" to the repeated harmonic and rhythmic figures of "Sequence II" (dual tenors introducing guest saxophonist Melissa Aldana) and "Sequence III" offer freedom of expression through distinctly different atmospheres; and four-bar vamp "Spinning Thoughts" entwines boisterous ideas from a single, elegant tenor motif. Personnel: Jure Pukl (soprano and tenor saxophone, bass clarinet), Matija Dedic (piano), Matt Brewer (double bass), Johnathan Blake (drums) Special Guest: Melissa Aldana - tenor saxophone (tracks 2 & 7)