Wong Works
Iridium, 2025
9/10
The tenor sax wizard Francis Wong has nearly 5 decades of work for us to enjoy, and her free jazz and Asian influences are fleshed out with Karl Evangelista, Chris Trinidad and Jimmy Biala in attendance.
“Prayer For Melvin Truss” starts the tribute with Wong’s rich sax alongside Evangelista’s light guiar and Trinidad’s dense bass that complements the cautious mood, and “Great Wall” follows with Biala’s frisky drums that suit the animated sax and Trinidad’s skilled bass ukulele.
The middle track belongs to the mesmerizing “Fire This Time”, where rock ideas enter thanks to Trinidad’s synth bass prowess and Wong’s colorful wind, while “Wuxijing” benefits from the bass ukulele and Evangelista’s meticulous guitar amid the soulful sax,
Close to the end, “A Kaleidoscope Of Butterflies” bops and shakes with an infectious energy via the meticulous bass and spirited guitar licks, and “Remembrance Rising” exits with Trinidad contributing both bass guitar and synth bass to the building climate that’s creative, timeless and dynamic.
Fans of John Coltrane, Max Roach or Fred Anderson won’t be disappointed here, as Wong and company flesh out a fusion effort that’s daring, exciting and just so memorable.
Travels well with: Chris Trinidad- Changing Tides; Glenn Horiuchi- Zen Of Glenn