NohMAD
Self-Released, 2023
8/10
The pianist, composer and conductor Seulah Noh may have been classically trained, but this listen is fully immersed in jazz, and recruits many players for the 6 originals and 2 arrangements.
The incredibly rich “L’illusionniste” opens the listen with Song Yi Jeon’s stunning pipes and Dabin Ryu’s elegant keys adding much to the dreamy, powerful climate, and “Arrogant Or Elegant” follows with Kevin Scollin’s warm guitar complementing Willis Edmundson’s agile drumming, plus the bright brass.
In the middle, “Heartsong” welcomes Will Fredendall’s diverse flute prowess amid Benjamin Young’s clever upright bass and the textured brass, while “Traveler’s Suite” unfolds across 3 chapters of emotive strings from Hannah Chaewon Kim and Haekyung Ju’s stirring violin, Julian Senery’s moody viola and Claire Deokyong Kim’s poetic cello.
The last track before a 2nd version of the lead off tune is “Have You Heard”, where Kan Yanabe’s playful percussion aligns with a highly dynamic and creative meshing of winds, brass and a lively rhythm section.
There’s 17 players in the band, and the diversity present is quite impressive, where the songs contain bits and pieces of the experiences that Noh has gathered as Seoul, Korea native, and it’s parlayed it into some first rate jazz.
Travels well with: Vincent Lyn- Elysian Eclipse; Jimmy Haslip- New Dreams