Album Review: NOhMAD from Seulah Noh Jazz Orchestra

Album:  NOhMAD
Artist:  Seulah Noh Jazz Orchestra
Label:  Self-Released
Website:  seulahnoh.bandcamp.com/album/nohmad

A warm blend of soul jazz, straight-ahead jazz, and torchlight jazz, NOhMAD, from the Seulah Noh Jazz Orchestra, is the debut recording led by pianist, composer, arranger and conductor Seulah Noh.  Comprised of six original compositions by Noh and two covers arranged by Noh, the release is an ambitious endeavor that demonstrates her breadth of influences and exposure to material within the jazz spectrum and outside its sphere.

Each track resonates a soul, specific personality traits that the listener can recognize.  "Hear the Light" features the ruminating scrolls of the tenor saxophone, communicating a message of comfort and warmth in the listener's ears.  "Heartsong" brandishes a reflective vibe in the swirling strings, radiating a tenderness in the graceful swish of their flight.  The soft flutter of the strings brushing across "Traveler’s Suite: I. 6829 Miles" emotes a consolatory voicing that is soothing as their silhouettes bask the listener in a sheath of tranquility.

"Traveler's Suite" has three parts, each descriptive of the traveler's journey from the wispy flickers of the strings and keys binding together across part "I. 6829 Miles" to the breathy wails of the saxophone glinting along part "II. A Letter from Me."   The suite closes with part "III. Sail at Dawn" sprawled in adventurous saxophone toots that culminate into waves of climatic furls that ebb into a calm surf, bringing the traveler to the ending of the journey.

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Seulah Noh is still in her 20's, having made an indelible impression on audiences as a jazz-inspired pianist, composer, and conductor.  Her debut as a leader demonstrates the depth of her voice to communicate thoughts and moods to her audience, creating a collaborative atmosphere where the message is the dominant trait in each track.

Musicians:
Seulah Noh - Composer, Arranger, and Conductor

[Woodwinds]
Nathan See – Alto Sax, Soprano Sax, Flute
Harry Pershing – Alto Sax, Soprano Sax
Hunter McKay – Tenor Sax, Clarinet
Ian Buss – Tenor Sax
Nick Biagini – Bari Sax, Bass Clarinet

[Trumpets]
Mark Tipton – Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Mike Brehm – Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Dan Hirsch – Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Alex Quinn – Trumpet, Flugelhorn

[Trombones]
Joey Dies
Michael Gerace
Josh Gagnon
Gabe Ramos – Bass Trombone

[Rhythm Section]
Dabin Ryu – Piano, Fender Rhodes
Kevin Scollins – Guitar
Benjamin Young – Upright Bass, Electric Bass
Willis Edmundson – Drums

[Strings]
Hannah Chaewon Kim – Violin I
Haekyung Ju – Violin II
Julian Seney – Viola
Claire Deokyong Kim – Cello

[Special Guests]
Song Yi Jeon – Voice on "L’illusionniste"
Astghik Martirosyan – Voice on "Hear the Light"
Will Fredendall – Flute on "Heartsong" and "Have You Heard"
Kan Yanabe – Percussion on "Hear the Light," "Traveler’s Suite," "Traveler’s Suite," and "Have You Heard"