Vijay Iyer, Linda May Han Oh & Tyshawn Sorey - Compassion [LP]

Cat. no: 5835143
Format: LP
Barcode: 602458351439
Release Date: 02 Feb 2024
Genre: Jazz

Pianist-composer Vijay Iyer follows his 2021 ECM disc Uneasy - the first to showcase his trio featuring bassist Linda May Han Oh and drummer Tyshawn Sorey - with Compassion, another album in league with these two gifted partners.

The New York Times captured the special qualities of this group, pointing to the trio's flair for playing "with a lithe range of motion and resplendent clarity...while stoking a kind of writhing internal tension. Crucial to that balance is their ability to connect with each other almost telepathically." Compassion, Iyer's eighth release as a leader for ECM, continues his drive to explore fresh territory while also referencing his forebears along the way, two of them long associated with the label.

The album includes a powerful interpretation of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed," which Iyer selected as an indirect homage to the late Chick Corea. Another tip of the hat comes with "Nonaah," a whirlwind of a piece by avant-garde sage Roscoe Mitchell, a key mentor for the pianist. Then there are Iyer's own melodically alluring, rhythmically invigorating compositions, ranging from the pensive title track to the hook-laced highlights "Tempest" and "Ghostrumental."

Vijay Iyer: piano
Linda May Han Oh: double bass
Tyshawn Sorey: drums

LP Tracks: Compassion / Arch / Overjoyed / Maelstrom / Prelude: Orison / Tempest / Panegyric / Nonaah / Where I Am / Ghostrumental / It Goes / Free Spirits/Drummer's Song