Vijay Iyer Compassion

Release date:
March 15, 2024
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Pianist-composer Vijay Iyer follows his 2021 ECM disc Uneasy - the first to showcase his trio featuring bassist Linda May Han Oh and drummer Tyshawn Sorey - with Compassion, another album in league with these two gifted partners. The New York Times captured the special qualities of this group, pointing to the trio's flair for playing "with a lithe range of motion and resplendent clarity... while stoking a kind of writhing internal tension. Crucial to that balance is their ability to connect with each other almost telepathically." Compassion, Iyer's eighth release as a leader for ECM, continues his drive to explore fresh territory while also referencing his forebears along the way, two of them long associated with the label. The album includes a lyrical homage to Chick Corea via the late pianist's valedictory interpretation of Stevie Wonder's "Overjoyed." Another tip of the hat comes with "Nonaah," a whirlwind of a piece by avant-garde sage Roscoe Mitchell, a key mentor for the pianist. Then there are Iyer's own melodically alluring, rhythmically invigorating compositions, ranging from the pensive title track to the hook-laced highlights "Tempest" and "Ghostrumental."

Tracklist:
  • 1. Compassion
  • 2. Arch
  • 3. Overjoyed
  • 4. Maelstrom
  • 5. Prelude: Orison
  • 6. Tempest
  • 7. Panegyric
  • 8. Nonaah
  • 9. Where I Am
  • 10. Ghostrumental
  • 11. It Goes
  • 12. Free Spirits / Drummer's Song

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