Jeong Lim Yang

Creating her variant of Mary Lou Williams’ Zodiac Suite, Korean Jeong Lim Yang maintains its trio configuration while accelerating her contribution as the bassist. Originally recorded in 1945, the 12-part composition by Williams’ (1910-1981), a noted Kansas City-based pianist and big band arranger, marked her full-fledged acceptance of Modern Jazz, nurtured by her friendship with Bop stalwarts like Thelonious Monk.

Although Yang, who also co-leads a group with Kevin Sun, uses contemporary techniques to flesh out a double-bass interpretation of the nearly 80-year-old material, she doesn’t minimize the others’ contributions. Argentinian pianist Santiago Leibson, who works with players like Tony Malaby, depicts the tricky illusions and diversions in Williams’ score; while Gerald Cleaver, one of Jazz’s most in-demand drummers, adds the appropriate rhythmic accents.

With each track related to a different astrological sign – and Yang’s own expressive tune, “Madam, Thank You, Madam” added as a multi-pitched coda – the trio members adopt varied strategies. Slow and methodical “Taurus” become a hard Blues with woody bass thumps, a shuffle beat and responsive piano chording. Introduced by pulsating ratamacues “Leo” alternates between martial drum breaks and elongated piano vamps, with a walking bass line confirming march tempo at the end. Arco string bowing sets up the hearty interface on “Capricorn” and adds drum slap and simple keyboard clangs for an expansive finale.
Other situated themes allude to simple grooves, repeated stop-time choruses, story-telling elaborations plus impressionist and beat-thickening allusions. Weaving key bounces, string echoes and drum vibrations, expositions and crescendos are updated yet still maintain the swinging animation that reflect Williams’ bedrock swing.

The pioneering composer/arranger/pianist’s work has been the focus of other notable salutes in the past decade. Zodiac Suite: Reassured deserves to be included in that exalted company.

–Ken Waxman

Track Listing: 1. Pisces 2. Aries 3. Taurus 4. Gemini 5. Cancer 6. Leo 7. Virgo 8. Libra 9. Scorpio 10. Sagittarius 11. Capricorn 12. Aquarius 13. Madam, Thank You, Madam

Personnel: Santiago Leibson (piano); Yeong Lim Yang (bass) and Gerald Cleaver (drums)