The Rythm of Linda Oh

I was sitting in the car surfing radio stations when I accidentally stumbled upon KPCC and heard this jazz song in Chinese and English come on. It was so unusual and compelling that I listened to the entire program, came home and looked up the musician, Linda Oh, on the internet. 

Here is an interview with her featured on her website. http://lindaohmusic.com/initial-here-video/

Linda Oh is a jazz bass player and composer who was born in Malaysia to Chinese parents.  She lived in Perth, Australia, and now performs with a jazz band in New York City, and tours all over the world. Her second album, Initial Here, was just released this spring. In this album, she collaborates with musicians Rudy Royston and the Cuban-born New York pianist Fabian Almazan. Also, in this album is the song "Thicker Than Water" where jazz singer Jen Shyu performs with Linda Oh's band singing in Chinese and in English.  

It is unusual to hear Asian women playing bass in a jazz band, and even more unusual to hear jazz sung in  Chinese. Very creative and innovative for sure, and Oh she is good. 

Even though the interview and music I heard today is from Linda Oh's second album, her debut album called Entry, with the Linda Oh Trio, has an awesome cover. Here it is. Apparently it's designed by someone who draws for Marvel Comics!

Here is clip of Linda Oh playing "To Not Be Broken", a tune inspired by Ishmael Beah's A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, a book I've had to read in English class last year!

Check out some of the recent reviews of Linda Oh:

NPR at Connecting Points on a Musical Map

New York Times at New Music