LED by New York-based Slovenian sax player and composer Jan Kus, the Slavo Rican Assembly are a seven-piece jazz combo which melds hot New York Latin jazz (the band members, are prominent New York-based musicians) with traditional southern Slavic roots music — but with the accent firmly on the rhythms of Puerto Rico.

“The focus of Slavo Rican Assembly is the exploration of the similarities and differences between the music of the Puerto Rican (and wider speaking Caribbean) and South Slavic cultures,” says Kus.

On their new album — Intercosmic (Riverboat Records) — the band play reworked versions of Slavic folk songs including a Slovenian harvesting song, Zrejlo je zito (The Wheat is Ripe), with an Afro-Caribbean bass line and fiery percussion and drum solos.