Rin Seo
(composer, conductor) + (collective): Steve Wilson, Ethan Helm, Dan Pratt,
Andrew Gutauskas (reeds); John Lake, Ingrid Jensen (trumpet); Adam
Unsworth (horn); Nick Grinder (trombone); Joyce Hammann, Sita Chay, Orlando
Wells, Jody Redhage Ferber (strings); Sebastian Noelle (guitar); Adam Birnbaum
(piano); Matt Clohesy (bass); Jared Schonig (drums, perc.)
City Suite, Rin Seo's debut album is an ambitious, three movement endeavour by the New York based Korean composer. Influenced by the jazz of her current location, the folk music of her native land, classical music and other diverse genre Rin Seo has woven a rich tapestry that reaches out far beyond her tenure in NYC.
City Suite 1. The Big Apple portrays the vibrant life of the city. Dynamic and fast moving with solos by Birnbaum, Wilson (on alto) and drums from Schonig. There's also some exciting string passages. Not the usual use of strings say to depict lovers holding hands in Central Park, more a South Bronx knife fight.
City Suite II. Cityscape captures the beauty of the night skyline. Pratt has a blistering blast on tenor. Again the strings are effective, driving drums and some rocky guitar nail it.
City Suite III. Alone, But Not Alone. Came about on a solitary walk. Wilson blows soprano and Clohesy Walks his bass from Lower Manhattan to Upper Manhattan and beyond. No strings on this one but the arrangement with its Latin infusion is effective.
Lullaby. Single stringed guitar intro sets the mood for Rin Seo's remembrance of her dear, departed cousin and as a tribute to others lost along the way. Guitar and horn set the scene for a grandiose ensemble chorus before a gentle tenor solo brings it to a close.
Desert Flower. Inspired by Somali-born activist Waris Dire, Desert Flower features contemporary trumpet legend Ingrid Jensen whose liquidity and fluent technique make this track extra special.
Music For Dance No.2. Has gutsy baritone blowing by Gutauskas over an energetic Latin rhythm. Lake has a fine trumpet solo as if to remind Jensen that there's more than one trumpet player in this studio!
Blues à la Carte. Originated on Wayne Shorter's debut album - Introducing Wayne Shorter - Rin Seo has decomposed it, reconstructed it and sent out the news that South Korea gave birth to the blues. Apologies for that piece of whimsy! What it does do is unleash a whole host of soloists paying tribute in their own way to the great man. Wilson (alto); Lake (trumpet); Birnbaum (piano) and Grinder (trombone) all give it their best shot. I think Wayne would have approved.
Riding a Bike. Jensen returns to remind Lake that there's more than one trumpet player in this studio. However, Rin Seo has the last word: "Life is much like riding a bike-we experience ups and downs, fall, get back up and keep moving forward. This piece serves as a musical metaphor for that journey."
Truly a musical tour de force. Lance
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