Over ten years, New York-based saxophonist Oded Tzur has transformed his tone into what The Guardian calls a ‘unique tenor sax whisper’. He describes that development himself as a leap into the deep end, one that has made him one of the standard-bearers of spiritual jazz. The New York City Jazz Record likened his music to an interactive prayer that can go in any direction. With his quartet he has recorded for ECM, including My Prophet, a mythical suite that moves from intimate whispers to ecstasy.

With In The Arms Of A True Believer, Tzur completes a trilogy of albums about his wife Isabela, this time centred on how faith shapes our lives, whatever we may believe in. He wrote the suite shortly after the birth of his son, in the roughly two hours a night he managed to sleep, and tied each piece to a specific moment, such as the first ultrasound in Heartbeats. On the album he plays with a six-piece band, in orchestrations featuring Brazilian Candomblé percussion, duets for euphonium and piccolo, and ceremonial raga music. On our stage he performs this music with his quartet.

Oded Tzur tenor sax, Elchin Shirinov piano, Petros Klampanis bass, Cyrano Almeida drums