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Mina Choi: Stories
ByFour of the album's seven Stories were crafted by Choi, who also arranged every number save George Cables' upbeat opener, "Dark Side Light Side." That was arranged by guest pianist Bill Cunliffe who hangs long enough to enrich Choi's colorful "Secret Garden" and Cedar Walton's scampering "Bolivia." Cables is the spellbinding pianist on "Dark Side Light Side" and the second of his charming compositions, "Helen's Song," which closes the album. Choi mans the keyboard on a trio of her provocative originals: "Paddle Through the Lake," "You're Still Here" (dedicated to the more than three hundred souls who lost their lives onboard the Sewol ferry, which sank in South Korea in April 2014) and "All About Your Cries and Kisses."
Choi reserves blowing space for a number of the orchestra's sharp and able-bodied soloists including trumpeter Joe Terry, alto saxophonist Steven Ragsdale, tenors Nick Gomez and Nathan King, trombonists Francisco Torres and Ryan Dragon, vibraphonist Brian Cannady, guitarist Zack Caplinger, bassist Cole Sainburg, percussionist Alex Acuña and drummer Rodolfo Zuniga who anchors the ensemble's steady rhythm section. While their support is indispensable, it is Choi's seductive compositions and arrangementsher Storiesthat brighten the landscape and lend the narrative its essence. A handsome and pleasing coming-out party.
Track Listing
Dark Side Light Side; Secret Garden; Bolivia; Paddle Through the Lake; You're Still Here (in memory of Sewol ferry); All About Your Cries and Kisses; Helen's Song.
Personnel
Mina Choi
pianoBill Cunliffe
pianoSteven Ragsdale
saxophoneJason Fabus
saxophoneNathan King
saxophoneRyan Dragon
tromboneFrancisco Torres
tromboneJoe Terry
trumpetJohn Reynolds
trumpetNate Johnson
trumpetRyan DeWeese
trumpetGlen Turner II
saxophone, baritoneFred Simmons
tromboneGeorge Cables
pianoZack Caplinger
guitarCole Sainburg
bassRodolfo Zuniga
drumsAlex Acuña
percussionBrian Cannady
vibraphoneCody Kleinhans
trombone, bassAdditional Instrumentation
Nicholas Daniel Gomez, Tenor sax.
Album information
Title: Stories | Year Released: 2025 | Record Label: Self Produced
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