Linda May Han Oh: Strange Heavena

 

    There are times in the life of any music fan when a promised collaboration of favorite musicians will be wildly anticipated, only to end up sounding better on paper then on the stereo. Then there are particularly inspired dates that exceed anything you might expect. The utterly magnificent Strange Heavens by bassist Linda May Han Oh and her trio with trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire and drummer Tyshawn Sorey is one of those successes. Sorey’s simultaneously torrid and sensitive beat, Akinmusire’s broad range of expressive techniques, and Oh’s solidly rooted bass combine for an enchanting musical experience. Oh composed most of the pieces, and arranged Geri Allen’s Skin and Melba Liston’s Just Waiting for the trio. We begin with Portal, kicking off with a tricky bass pattern, drums that sneak up on you, and relaxed trumpet that fills out the sound. As the track proceeds, the trio’s remarkable cohesion, dynamic range, and ease in shifting tempos are revealed as keys to this program’s success. Oh and Sorey have been playing together quite a lot in pianist Vijay Iyer’s much-acclaimed trio, and their experiences there have clearly informed the intensity and commitment they bring to this group. There’s only one piece that exceeds five minutes, the straight-forwardly funky Noise Machinery which clocks in at 5:27. The trio likes to get into the compositions, have their say, and get out quickly, an attitude that promotes concentrated listening. Other highlights include the spacious title track, the hard-driving Paperbirds, and the impassioned musical conversation on Skin. As Oh notes, “Playing in chordless trios is invigorating and rewarding, in that I have freedom when I solo, but I also have a responsibility to make sure there’s clarity in what I’m saying and the story is being told.” The story that is told so well on Strange Heavens evokes the kernel of the creative music experience, when individuality and the collective experience of the group are in perfect balance. Strange Heavens is one of the best albums I’ve heard this year, and it should surprise no one if it rates highly in year-end polls. Highly recommended. 

Biophilia; Ambrose Akinmusire (tpt) Linda May Han Oh (b) Tyshawn Sorey (d); no dates or location specified; Portal/ Strange Heavens/ Living Proof/ Acapella/ The Sweetest Water/ Noise Machinery/ Home/ Paperbirds/ Folk Song/ Work Song/ Skin/ Just Waiting; 48:03. biophiliarecords.com

PlainsPeak: Someone To Someone

     Multi-instrumentalist Jon Irabagon has been an extremely busy performer since his debut on record with the Chicago Metropolitan Jazz Orchestra in 1997. He came to prominence with his role in Mostly Other People Do The Killing, which began as a quartet in 2003. He’s appeared on numerous releases over the years, with 133 sessions listed in Tom Lord’s online Jazz Discography. Irabagon has returned to his Chicago roots with his latest project Someone To Someone, recorded with a quartet he calls PlainsPeak. Trumpeter Russ Johnson played on Irabagon’s debut as a leader (Jon Irabagon’s Outright!, Innova, 2008), and the rapport they display as the front line is impressive. They sound like a grittier version of the Ornette Coleman/Don Cherry partnership, a comparison aided by the trumpet, sax, bass and drums format of PlainsPeak. The impeccable rhythm team of bassist Clark Sommers and drummer Dana Hall has energized a batch of sessions since their first appearance together on Sommers’ 2012 album Ba(sh). Irabagon, who composed all the selections for this release, confines himself to the tenor saxophone. His tunes are always deeply interesting and unpredictable, both in their melodic wanderings and the arrangements. You can never be too sure when one of the horns or the bass will burst out for a solo. It’s a tactic that promotes dedicated listening on the parts of both the listener and the performers. One of the highlights of this consistently engrossing release is the appropriately somber Tiny Miracles (at a Funeral for a Friend), but there are many passages of unforced beauty throughout. Heartily recommended. 

Irabbagast 032; Russ Johnson (tpt) Jon Irabagon (ts) Clark Sommers (b) Dana Hall (d); Chicago, IL, December 9-10, 2024; Someone to Someone/ Buggin’ the Bug/ Malört is My Shepherd/ At What Price Garlic/ Tiny Miracles (at a Funeral for a Friend)/ The Pulseman; 42:29. jonirabagon.bandcamp.com