Linda May Han Oh Quintet

On a warm Sunday afternoon in January, the Bach Dynamite and Dancing Society offered the best of both worlds. Indoors, we enjoyed an energizing set led by Australian bassist Linda May Han Oh. She was playing fresh compositions from her album, The Glass Hours. The album is described as “a collection of works based on abstract themes of the fragility of time and life; exploring paradoxes seeded within our individual and societal values.” We were seated near the very creative pianist, Fabian Almazan. The quintet also featured vocals by Sarah Serpa, drummer Mark Wittfield jr, and saxophonist Mark Turner. The music was intricate, rhythmic, and uplifting.

The break between sets aligned perfectly with sunset, and everyone headed outside to the road to see the sun dip into the Pacific while the sky lit up with gorgeous pink and orange clouds. Puddles from a recent rain made for good reflections. Seems like a good place to quote a Grateful Dead lyric, from “Estimated Prophet:”

California, preaching on the burning shore,
California, I’ll be knocking on the golden door,
Like an angel standing in a shaft of light,
Rising up to paradise, I know I’m gonna shine

The second set featured the album’s title tune, The Glass Hours, which is well worth a listen. It was my favorite of the concert. I was glad to be seated with a great view of Linda May Han Oh, as she has great technique on the bass, and played every inch of her instrument.

I was joined by a colleague from overseas, Stephan, and we had a nice time strolling along the road and taking in the view from Bach’s deck.

Looking forward to next week’s concert!

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