If you’ve heard the thoroughly recommended Rise CD by trumpeter Raynald Colom, you’ll be vaguely familiar with Jure Pukl. He's originally from Slovenia and apparently already has six albums as leader as well as some 30 sideman recordings. This is his second New York session using Sanders (who has an interesting recent Criss Cross CD) and Reid, but this time has the added input of Vijay Iyer, and the four have produced one of the liveliest improv records of recent months. It's appropriate that the informative liner notes are by The Guardian 's John Fordham. Jure is an outstanding saxophonist, equally striking on soprano and tenor. It's more than likely that the New York vibe has hardened his original Slovenian conception and this quartet is as futuristically modern as almost any other on the jazz scene. The interplay is exceptional. Pukl's jagged edgy rhythmic phasing, echoed in his compositions, is the perfect foil for the ever exploratory Iyer, who still reminds me more of Monk than anyone and possibly raises the question that his work is getting so much attention and respect from journalists remembering how Monk's contributions were never really recognised till late in his career-and whose songs are now probably the most covered in jazz history. But, back to Jure Pukl. The way in which Damion Reid intuitively shadows the saxophone figures, and those of Iyer, personifies the totally new conception of jazz drumming. He's almost entirely on his carefully-tuned snare, with virtually no use of ride cymbal. In fact, there's only one brief spell of conventional swing (in ‘Sequence II’) on the whole record, which swings in its own contemporary way, with the dreadlocked Sanders providing counter melodies and grooves which fit in perfectly. This is an adventurous album, where nobody's afraid to take a step too far.