Jure Pukl

“EARchitecture”

(Session Work Records SWR 23/10)

Jure Pukl is a young tenor saxophonist from Slovenia who has studied both jazz and classical saxophone in Austria (at the universities of both Vienna and Graz) and in the USA (the famous Berklee College of Music in Boston).

I first encountered his playing when he brought his Slavic Soul Trio to Dempsey’s in Cardiff earlier this year, a performance reviewed elsewhere on this site. Appearing as part of Pukl’s trio was Wisconsin born, London based bass player Michael Janisch. Janisch is an indefatigable organiser who has brought many great American and European musicians to the UK in recent years and his involvement in any project is pretty much a guarantee of quality. So it proved in the case of Pukl, who excelled in the challenging context of the saxophone trio (alongside Janisch and Austrian drummer Klemens Marktl), often adding elements of the folk music of his native Slovenia to the more obvious Sonny Rollins and John Coltrane influences.

However “EARchitecture” is more concerned with Pukl’s relationship to the music of the USA. Although only recently released the album was recorded in Brooklyn, New York in 2008 and features Pukl’s American band, associates from his time in Boston and New York. The fact that the liner notes are written by that great contemporary pianist Vijay Iyer gives an idea of the circles Pukl moved in during his time in the US.  Iyer doesn’t actually appear on the record, the piano and keyboard parts here are handled by Aruan Ortiz with the core line up being completed by double bassist Rahsaan Carter and drummer Marcus Gilmore. Trumpeter Jason Palmer, another Janisch associate, appears on three tunes, and one cut, something of a misjudgement,  features the spoken words of rapper Raydar Ellis.

All the tunes are by Pukl and as Iyer states it’s obvious that he’s also absorbed the influences of Steve Coleman and the M-Base movement plus those of Wayne Shorter, Sam Rivers, Andrew Hill and Eric Dolphy. Pukl’s themes are frequently knotty,hard hitting and challenging but never overly difficult; there’s a kind of intellectual rigour about his writing and his American colleagues help to give the music a sparky, contemporary edge.

From the opening track “Digital Life” onwards, it’s immediately apparent that Pukl is a fluent and gifted improviser, his confident tenor probing convincingly above the jagged, complex rhythms laid down by the flexible, intelligent rhythm team of Ortiz, Carter and Gilmore. The opener also includes powerful statements from Ortiz and Gilmore, the former contributing a percussive, Monkish solo and the latter enjoying an extensive drum feature as well as contributing excellent support elsewhere.

“Crazy” offers a darker, film noirish feel notable for the dialogue between Pukl’s tenor and Palmer’s squiggling trumpet. The trumpeter takes the first solo, his cool almost Milesian tones followed by the earthier sound of Pukl’s tenor. Ortiz plays Fender Rhodes here and and also features extensively.  Carter and Gilmore offer crisp and intelligent support on a piece with a slyly funky and distinctly urban feel. 

“The Beauty Of The Unseen” is a kind of abstract ballad featuring Pukl’s fluent, passionate saxophone soaring above the “rolling thunder” backdrop laid down by Ortiz, Carter and Gilmore.
Ortiz’s piano solo is no less dramatic, there’s a strange beauty to this tune, a piece that blurs the boundaries between structure and freedom.

“Vertical Counterpoint” sees the re-introduction of Palmer with Ortiz again moving to Fender Rhodes. It explores broadly similar territory to the earlier quintet piece “Crazy” with the interplay between the horns again excellent as they trade phrases and dialogue above another cerebrally funky backdrop. Ortiz also solos extensively but the impact of the music is lessened when the horns drop out.

I’m less than convinced by “Hot As Summer” which features the rapping of Raydar Ellis. Pukl seems to trying a bit too hard to obtain some kind of “street cred”. I’m no fan of rap/hip hop and whilst I accept that some cross fertilisation with jazz is inevitable I’m not quite sure who Pukl is attempting to appeal to here. His uncompromising jazz output thus far is unlikely to appeal to rappers and this misguided exercise will just be a distraction to most jazz listeners. Sorry, Jure, a mistake I feel.

“Intense Brain Actions” is a welcome return to unadulterated jazz territory with convincing solos from Pukl’s soulful tenor, Ortiz on acoustic piano and Carter at the bass. It’s not quite as challenging as the title might suggest but is excellent all the same.

The closing “Bizgo” is bright and funky with Ortiz on Rhodes and with Palmer and Pukl delivering often dazzling solos. Gilmore frequently deploys contemporary grooves in a far more convincing alliance of hip hop and jazz. “Bizgo” is a nicely relaxed way to round off what in the main is a very good album.

There can be no doubting Pukl’s abilities as a saxophonist and an improviser and on the whole his writing is interesting and shows much potential. With the exception of “Hot As Summer” which interrupts the flow of the record and tries a little too hard to reach a crossover audience this is good stuff. Jure Pukl is a musician well worth keeping an ear open for. 

 

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