The Journey of Han is organised into two acts, each exploring the concept of 'Han', a Korean cultural notion encompassing a broad range of emotions including sorrow, resentment, resilience, longing, loss and liberation. All very well to know and helpful for a reviewer trying to get his head around the clattering on that once beautiful tune by Lionel Hampton and Sonny Burke - Midnight Sun.
Wayne Shorter's Lady Day fares much better. This is as beautiful as the person it was dedicated to. It lasts 9.54 mins and it's not a second too long. A feeling bass solo, a reflective piano solo and sympathetic drumming. Towards the end it builds up into a powerful climax as if portraying Billie's sad passing. Midnight Sun is forgotten.
Chin switches to keyboards for his own composition ATL. I don't know what or who the initials stand for, Google offers a wide variety of explanations the relevance of which are not immediately obvious.
The Constant Foreigner is another weirdy with some strange chit-chat going on. I guess this is Chin's programming. Lots of drums. I think it represents the difficulties faced by newcomers seeking acceptance.
Promising World brings Act One to a close with an unaccompanied bass solo by Yang who composed the piece.
Act Two opens with Chin's Lament For a Past Life. He solos delicately over some metronomic drumming.
The standard Never Let Me Go is lovely tune, often sung but rarely done as an instrumental. The latter approach can sometimes discover hidden depths that a singer has missed (and vice-versa). Chin does it proud finding new and subtle nuances to the tune.
Drummer Kim has his own composition, Loom, all 6:14 mins of it to himself. In other words it's a long drum solo. Tarn is an unaccompanied feature for Chin. He says his piece in two minutes. Personally I'd have preferred it to have been the other was around.
As someone who's still coming to terms with the last 'next thing' I viewed Chin's The Next Thing with some trepidation. However, my reservations were unfounded. Admittedly there is some Cecil Taylor (ish) moments but not enough to lose sleep over in fact, in a contemporary fashion, it's quite swingy.
The album closes with two classics that are treated with the degree of respect they deserve. Lush Life has soulful piano from Chin, dreamy bass by Yang and a drummer who, on this occasion, knows when less is more. Stardust, superb solo piano. The end of an album that meets the Journey of Han criteria as set out in the first paragraph. When it's good it's very good ... Lance
No comments :
Post a Comment