Home » Jazz Articles » Album Review » Uri Gurvich: The Storyteller

332

Uri Gurvich: The Storyteller

By

View read count
Uri Gurvich: The Storyteller
Despite the fact that alto saxophonist Uri Gurvich is Israeli and that his debut CD is on the Tzadik label (as part of its "Radical Jewish Culture" series), The Storyteller only sounds parenthetically Jewish. Yes, some of the titles are in Hebrew (translated as "The Builders," "I Believe" and "Chant" and a type of hummus) and the melodies are either pensive or ecstatic in that particular Jewish vein to which secular listeners have become accustomed. But there is more going on in the composing of Gurvich; a firm background in jazz and studies with saxophonists like Joe Lovano make this album as much a jazz album as a celebration of Gurvich's cultural background.

The leader traffics in strong melodies and compelling rhythms, regardless of their motific foundation. And certainly the improvisatory methodology on display by Gurvich, pianist Leo Genovese, bassist Peter Slavov and especially drummer Francisco Mela owe a greater debt to post-bop than pizmonim. And when the album features a second saxophone (Chris Cheek's tenor) and Genovese switches to Fender Rhodes for a pair of tunes, the aesthetic becomes highly reminiscent of early fusion experiments.

The problem with crossing over is the risk of alienating constituent groups. Let's hope neither jazz fans nor aficionados of "traditional" Jewish music write off Uri Gurvich's work as not pure enough. There is much for both camps to enjoy.

Track Listing

Midbar Suite; Ha'Bonim; Ani Ma'amin; Prophecy; Nigun; Joseph The Storyteller; Oasis; Masabacha.

Personnel

Uri Gurvich
saxophone, alto

Uri Gurvich: alto sax; Chris Cheek: tenor sax; Leo Genovese: piano, Fender Rhodes; Francisco Mela: drums; Peter Slavov: bass.

Album information

Title: The Storyteller | Year Released: 2009 | Record Label: Tzadik

Tags

Comments


PREVIOUS / NEXT



Uri Gurvich Concerts

Sep 29 Mon
Sep 29 Mon

Support All About Jazz

Get the Jazz Near You newsletter All About Jazz has been a pillar of jazz since 1995, championing it as an art form and, more importantly, supporting the musicians who make it. Our enduring commitment has made "AAJ" one of the most culturally important websites of its kind, read by hundreds of thousands of fans, musicians and industry figures every month.

Go Ad Free!

To maintain our platform while developing new means to foster jazz discovery and connectivity, we need your help. You can become a sustaining member for as little as $20 and in return, we'll immediately hide those pesky ads plus provide access to future articles for a full year. This winning combination vastly improves your AAJ experience and allow us to vigorously build on the pioneering work we first started in 1995. So enjoy an ad-free AAJ experience and help us remain a positive beacon for jazz by making a donation today.

Near

More

Tramonto
John Taylor
Ki
Natsuki Tamura / Satoko Fujii
Duality Pt: 02
Dom Franks' Strayhorn
The Sound of Raspberry
Tatsuya Yoshida / Martín Escalante

Popular

Old Home/New Home
The Brian Martin Big Band
My Ideal
Sam Dillon
Ecliptic
Shifa شفاء - Rachel Musson, Pat Thomas, Mark Sanders
Lado B Brazilian Project 2
Catina DeLuna & Otmaro Ruíz

Get more of a good thing!

Our weekly newsletter highlights our top stories, our special offers, and upcoming jazz events near you.

Install All About Jazz

iOS Instructions:

To install this app, follow these steps:

All About Jazz would like to send you notifications

Notifications include timely alerts to content of interest, such as articles, reviews, new features, and more. These can be configured in Settings.