"French trumpeter Erik Truffaz plays with such pristine minimalism - in long silvery peals and soft metallic breaths - that he sounds more like an atmosphere than a soloist." Rolling Stone One of the leading trumpeters on the cutting edge of jazz today, Erik Truffaz continues to stake out provocative new territory on Saloua, his fifth U.S. release on Blue Note Records. While still waving the flag for electric Miles Davis (heard most prominently on the hard-hitting "Tantrik," and on the dynamic electronica offering "Spirale"), Truffaz also investigates the easy bond between jazz and world music on several powerfully atmospheric pieces like "Yabou," "Gedech," "Ines" and the stirring title track, all featuring the passionate vocals of Tunisian singer Mounir Troudi. Saloua comes on the heels of Truffaz"s 2003 outing, The Walk of the Giant Turtle. For that rock-flavored project, the trumpeter relied on a different group of musicians to mix sheer bombast and ensemble improv. This time out, he reverts back to the same quartet that previously appeared on acclaimed Truffaz recordings like 2000"s The Mask and 2002"s Mantis. PERSONNEL: Erik Truffaz - trumpet, electronics, melodica Michel Benita - bass, samples Philippe Pipon Garcia - drums, samples, parlophone Manu Codjia - guitars, electronics Featuring: Mounir Troudi - voice, bendir (tracks 1, 4, 5, & 7) & Nya - voice (tracks 2 & 7)