Linda May Han Oh with Ambrose Akinmusire & Tyshawn Sorey - Strange Heavens 2025

Исполнитель: Linda May Han Oh with Ambrose Akinmusire & Tyshawn Sorey
Альбом: Strange Heavens
Жанр: Jazz, Contemporary Jazz
Год: 2025
Страна: International
Лейбл: Biophilia Records
Формат: FLAC (tracks)
Official DR value: DR9
Разрядность: 24bit / 96kHz Stereo
Размер: 954 MB
Инфо: bandcamp
Залито на: XFile (3% восстановление)

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This album is a raw, unfiltered sonic journey propelled by the elemental force of bassist Linda May Han Oh, trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, and drummer Tyshawn Sorey. The music resists categorization—shifting effortlessly from tender lyricism to electrifying intensity. It’s emotional, urgent, and unapologetically vulnerable, channeling both power and fragility in equal measure. Each track unfolds as a cathartic expedition, where improvisation becomes not just a method, but a form of truth-telling.

The power of the jazz trio is strongly felt on Strange Heavens, the new outing from acclaimed bassist and composer Linda May Han Oh. This 12-track recording finds the bassist teaming up with drummer Tyshawn Sorey, her rhythmic partner in the Vijay Iyer Trio, and trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire, an exceptional narrative builder who also appeared on her debut trio album Entry (2009).

With each track reflecting Oh’s distinct personality, the album opens with “Portal”, inspired by the stress-inducing nature of today’s social media. A driving bass figure sets the journey in motion, soon joined by delicate trumpet lines and crisp drumming, advancing with rhythmic nuance and melodic breath. The melancholic and moody title track, “Strange Heavens”, stands in contrast to “Living Proof”, which—drawn from her mother’s life story—comes with a rougher attitude, blending punk rock pugnacity with the iridescent hues of modern jazz.

Each members plays with overt virtuosity, crafting a flexible framework where dynamic interplay and solo statements are open to exploration. “The Sweetest Water” is one such piece, hitting hard with limpid trumpet melodicism over astute bass work and tireless drum buoyancy. Other examples include “Home” and “Paperbirds”, two of four compositions inspired by Australian author Shaun Tan’s graphic novel The Arrival. The former—infectious, complex, and ever-shifting—ventures into avant-garde and free territory, while the latter sustains a sense of flow and spontaneity regardless of the unusual time signatures.

“Noise Machinery” is a deliciously groovy number infused with funk, rock, and R&B elements, underscoring the trio’s shared wavelength. Their gift for abstraction shines, and the rendition of late pianist Geri Allen’s “Skin” reaches an exceptional polyrhythmic level with thoughtful push-pull undercurrents. In turn, trombonist Melba Liston’s “Just Waiting”, a softly brushed lullaby, closes the album with the soulful elegance of a timeless jazz standard.

By the time the album draws to a close, listeners are caught in an inescapable musical web, drawn by a creative triangulation rooted in raw, honest interplay. This marks a brilliant return for Oh to the trio format.

Трэклист:

01. Portal
02. Strange Heavens
03. Living Proof
04. Acapella
05. The Sweetest Water
06. Noise Machinery
07. Home
08. Paperbirds
09. Folk Song
10. Work Song
11. Skin
12. Just Waiting

Ambrose Akinmusire, trumpet
Linda May Han Oh, bass
Tyshawn Sorey, drums

Dynamic Range Meter