Fabian Almazan Trio - This Land Abounds with Life (2019)

With his formidable trio colleagues Linda May Han Oh (acoustic/electric bass) and Henry Cole (drums), and string quartet on just one track, Fabian Almazan unveils music of both extraordinary complexity and transparent beauty. He employs electronics, his own field recordings from Cuba, and other devices to create an epic portrait of nature and folkloric expression, wrought by one of the most advanced jazz sensibilities in the world today.

Almazan, Oh and Cole debuted as a trio in 2011 on Personalities, celebrating with a breakthrough week at the Village Vanguard that was webcast by NPR. That core trio remained integral to the lineup of Almazan’s next project, the hybrid ensemble Rhizome, adding string quartet and Camila Meza on vocals (documented on the albums Rhizome and Alcanza), reflecting the leader’s extensive training in classical composition. With This Land Abounds With Life, Almazan returns his focus to the Personalities trio, a smaller unit that nonetheless also conveys the full scope of his emotional and far-reaching vision.