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Linda May Han Oh: The Imperative

By Carl Medsker
May 25, 2025
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Congratulations to Linda May Han Oh for adding the 2025 Jazz Journalists Association Bass Player of the Year award to her collection of accolades. Since emigrating to the United States from Australia in 2006 (she was born in Malaysia), Oh has built an impressive career, making significant contributions to works by Dave Douglas, Terri Lyne Carrington, Joe Lovano, Kenny Barron and many others. Her playing in Vijay Iyer's trio with Tyshawn Sorey is massive. Melodic, flowing, rhythmically complex, expressively performed with a big, round sound. Yes, bassist of the year.

"The Imperative" from her album The Glass Hours (Biophilia Records, 2023) demonstrates these considerable talents on bass as well as her compositional ideas. Imperative is a good descriptor for this song's kinetic, forward momentum.

Joining Oh on this excellent album are Mark Turner (saxophone), Sara Serpa (voice), Fabian Almazan (piano and electronics) and Obed Calvaire (drums). Engaging music like this, creative musicians like these, are just some of the significant joys and benefits of living in a diverse cultural and international melting pot. We have much to cherish and much to lose. So, let us celebrate Linda May Han Oh.

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Contact Carl Medsker on All About Jazz.
Half my career in healthcare, half in IT, passionate jazz fan throughout.

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