Release Preview: Linda May Han Oh – The Glass Hours

It’s an inevitable aspect of the human experience to grapple with the vulnerability of our very existence and the ultimate brevity of our time on this planet. With her breathtaking new album The Glass Hours, Grammy-winning bassist/composer Linda May Han Oh has crafted a striking and profoundly moving set of new music to depict her own conflicted feelings about mortality and the ways in which we spend and value it. Due out June 2 via Biophilia Records, with the first single “Antiquity” dropping today, the album showcases the further evolution of Oh’s compositional voice and her gift for exploring societal issues in a personal, intimate form.

“At some point,” she says, “as an artist you have to reflect and ask, ‘Why am I playing music when there’s all these things happening in the world?’ We all go through phases where we realize just how precious and fragile our time here really is, and wonder how we’re going to better our lives and the lives of those we love. To some extent those questions can’t be reconciled, but music has been a healing force for me. It helps me pull myself into the moment and process some of that confusion.”

Originally born in Malaysia and raised in Boorloo (Perth), Western Australia, Oh moved to New York in 2008 where she has become one of the most in-demand bassists in the modern jazz realm, she has worked with such master artists as Pat Metheny, Vijay Iyer, Kenny Barron, Dave Douglas, Joe Lovano and the late Geri Allen. She was featured (and animated) as one of the musicians in the Pixar film Soul under the musical direction of Jon Batiste and recently earned her first Grammy for Best Instrumental Jazz Album as part of the ensemble for Terri Lyne Carrington’s New Standards Vol. 1.

Alongside these impressive achievements, Oh’s projects as a leader and composer have steadily grown in scope and ambition, with her last album, Aventurine (2019), combining a stellar jazz group with a string quartet and vocal ensemble for a collection of intricate and richly expressive music. Her coming album, The Glass Hours, scales back to a quintet, but one made up of five uniquely gifted and innovative musicians: Oh on acoustic and electric bass and backing vocals along with vocalist Sara Serpa, tenor saxophonist Mark Turner, pianist Fabian Almazan, and drummer Obed Calvaire, rejoining Oh for the first time since her 2009 debut Entry.

With The Glass Hours Oh expands on the use of vocals that she’d experimented with on Aventurine. There she integrated her kaleidoscopic composing for strings with the vocal quartet Invenio; here it’s the adventurous Portugal-born vocalist Sara Serpa, who brings Oh’s lyrics to cinematic life and melds her wordless vocals with Mark Turner’s sinuous tenor to form a brilliantly fluid frontline. Oh likens Serpa’s voice to, “a smooth, full-bodied red wine. It’s got this rich, dark quality that I think pairs perfectly with this music. I’ve always been a big fan of her work, so she was the perfect collaborator.”

Each of the bassist’s efforts to date has presented a new configuration of musicians, tailored to the project at hand and culled from the vibrant community of creative artists of which she is an integral part. With The Glass Hours she expands on the use of vocals that she’d experimented with on Aventurine. There she integrated her kaleidoscopic composing for strings with the vocal quartet Invenio; here it’s the adventurous Portugal-born vocalist Sara Serpa, who brings Oh’s lyrics to cinematic life and melds her wordless vocals with Mark Turner’s sinuous tenor to form a brilliantly fluid frontline.

Oh likens Serpa’s voice to, “a smooth, full-bodied red wine. It’s got this rich, dark quality that I think pairs perfectly with this music. I’ve always been a big fan of her work, so she was the perfect collaborator.”

As for the saxophonist, arguably the most influential tenor player of his generation, Oh says, “Mark Turner has always been a huge inspiration to me. I’ve heard him on so many records that have influenced me, so to hear him playing on my music is a real trip. He brings such an iconic, distinctive sound – the richness of his tone, his agility, the way he darts and weaves within the changes.”

The Glass Hours marks drummer Obed Calvaire’s first collaboration with Oh since the bassist’s debut, 2009’s trio date Entry. The two share a preternatural rapport, robust yet nuanced, solid and muscular in its vigorous foundation yet intricate in its subtle details and delicate touch. “Obed is such a well-rounded musician,” Oh enthuses. “He’s someone that can slot into so many different arenas, and he’s incredibly creative on this music.”

Almazan, Oh’s partner in life as well as music, completes the ensemble. He provides not only the mesmerizing filigree and profound harmonic depth of his approach to the keyboard, but also the expansive possibilities of his electronic processing. He wields these effects with tasteful reserve, never overwhelming the music but vividly coloring its already wide horizons.

Having played together for more than 16 years and sharing a near-exclusive collaboration during the months of lockdown, Oh and Almazan have shaped a unique chemistry only deepened by their personal connection. “I’m so grateful to have Fabian’s special approach to the piano and his willingness to take risks,” she says. “He’s always quick to come along for the ride or to instigate new ideas.”

More information about Linda and the release can be found at her website. You can also check out the first single from that album “Antiquity” on our new release Spotify playlist.

Line-Up:
Linda May Han Oh – electric/acoustic bass, voice. | Mark Turner – Tenor Saxophone. | Sara Serpa – Voice. | Fabian Almazan – piano + electronics. | Obed Calvaire – drums.

Release Date: 6 June 2023
Format: Digital | Streaming
Label: Biophilia Records

New Release Spotify Playlist

The Jazz In Europe New Release playlist features tracks from the new releases featured on Jazz In Europe. Updated weekly, this playlist is the perfect place to discover new music from the leading jazz musicians currently on the scene. We hope you enjoy this selection.