Jeong Lim Yang: Synchronicity

Bassist Jeong Lim Yang is a member of the Brooklyn jazz scene who has worked with many different musicians such as Jason Palmer, Oscar Noreiga, and Kenny Wollesen. On her third album as a leader, she uses a quartet combining motion and atmosphere with melodic beauty elements.

The quartet has Mat Maneri on viola, Jacob Sacks on piano, Randy Peterson on drums and Yang on bass. The overall group sound is fluid with the rhythm section shifting through several moods. The opening track, "Synchronicity," sets the tone for the album by having slow viola sighing over the other players' brisk staccato tempo. Throughout the album, Maneri is the heavy counterweight to whatever tone or tempo the others set. "Ordinary Waltz" has a sentimental melody that the group enlivens with broken accents, billowing drums and a syrupy tone on the viola. "Morning Glory" also has a sad and slow feel with Maneri seeming to incorporate a phrase from the song "Edelweiss" in the musical, The Sound of Music. By contrast, "Salad For Lunch" is an up-tempo piece where the viola gets to ripple over Monk-ish piano chords and slippery drumming.

Maneri often comes off as the focal point of the music since his sound is often the most melodic and focused within the music. This shows in the mournful thrust of "Weeping Dream," even when he is submerged in the plush undergrowth of the rhythm section's sound. "Body Nor Soul" is also a good vehicle for him. This is a moody late-night variation on "Body and Soul," that shows how haunting Maneri's viola can sound.

This album contrasts its varied elements nicely into a complex but inviting sound. It shows that Jeong Lim Yang can be an intriguing bandleader and writer.