Flow

From the moment she entered the jazz world in the aughts, South Korean pianist Jihee Heo (pronounced "jee-hee") has earned a reputation as one of the most fiercely swinging and talented players on the scene. Her new album, Flow, with Alex Claffy (bass) and Joe Farnsworth (drums) confirms that reputation.

From the top, the trio captures the energy and rhythm of this sometimes maddening city on the muscular swinger "New Yorker Step". Heo sparkles on the keys, delivering jolting clusters of crisp notes with dexterity and confidence. Farnsworth scampers on brushes and Claffy delivers a supple pizzicato. The pianist shows an impressive command of the blues as she struts on tunes such as "I Can See Only One Step Ahead" and "Extreme Noise Blocker". On the elegant waltz "Opening the New Door", Heo displays a lovely touch, exploring repeated figures as she builds challenging variations on them.

Another excellent plucked solo by Claffy, with Farnsworth's lush cymbals, completes the vivid palette on the soft breezes of "Aquellos Ojos Verdes". The redoubtable alto saxophone master Vincent Herring enhances any group he plays with, and he complements
the trio perfectly on a pair of tunes: the bossa nova "The Hidden Giant" and the vigorous "The Late Bloomer". He adds depth and color to the ensemble with concise, dynamic solos that burst with harmonic invention. The trio's shimmering version of Duke Ellington's timeless ballad "In a Sentimental Mood" is the album's highlight. After a ruminative opening, enhanced by Farnsworth's whispering brushstrokes and Claffy's modulated bass heartbeat, Heo doesn't merely interpret this evergreen, she deconstructs it and explores its nuances, taking it into unusual harmonic territory. The pianist transcends the usual prescribed paths, striving not to always pause at the melodic yellow lights. Because of her creativity and talent, one will encounter this classic song as if hearing it for the first time. And that's one of the skills that makes Heo a now first-call pianist: no matter what song she plays, or where her excursions begin or end, she always takes you to interesting and unexpected places, and this ability is what makes Flow a triumph.