Zoh Amba - O Life, O Light Vol 2

The Free Jazz Collective 0

By Martin Schray

Half a year ago I would have bet on Zoh Amba becoming the next superstar of jazz. No ifs, ands or buts about it. The saxophonist from Tennessee is just 22 years old and since moving to New York in 2021, she has already played with everyone of distinction (e.g. John Zorn, Vijay Iyer or William Parker, to name just a few). Her mentor is no other than David Murray. Her last albums, O Life, O Light Vol 1 and Bhakti, were simply stunning, the latter in particular an early opus magnum that captures the full range of Amba’s expressive spectrum, from fervent outbursts to wistful blues. Many thought that if anyone could carry the torch after Jaimie Branch’s untimely passing, it would be her.

But there were critical voices as well. First, Downbeat claimed that she was a promising artist, but that the outstanding reviews that saw her in a lineage of Coltrane and Ayler came far too early. What is more, an editorial in the German magazine Jazzpodium said that her success was just the result of clever marketing. She simply knew what was in demand at the time, namely spirituality. The author also added that her sound was reminiscent of Albert Ayler, but limited and without any differentiation, just loud. At the same time it was rumored, he went on, that she bought herself into the scene with money from relatives. On the other hand it was noticeable that only anonymous witnesses were named. One wondered where the furor, with which Amba was being chastised in that article, came from. All in all, this article in particular left a bitter aftertaste. In spite of that the people who liked her previous albums could hardly wait for O Life, O Light Vol. 2.

To cut a long story short, O Life, O Light Vol. 2 leaves one ambivalent, as on the whole it is less consistent than the two previously mentioned recordings. As on the first part of the project, Amba is supported by William Parker (bass, gralla) and Francisco Mela (drums). Of course, the two are a rock solid rhythm section in front of which it should be easy for Amba to take off and ascend to musical heights. But unlike Vol. 1, she doesn’t really succeed here. Especially in the second piece, “Three Flowers“, where she first plays flute in the first part, her tone and timing seem uncertain, her lines strangely uninspired. Only after an intermission, in which Parker and Mela take over and after which she switches to saxophone, does she seem to be more confident. But even though she shows what a great talent she is in this second part, the interplay with Parker and Mela does not work as nicely as on Vol. 1. Fortunately, the better piece on the album is the first one, “Dance of Bliss“. Here the three harmonize quite well after a brief period of acclimation. They are at their best when Parker reaches for the gralla and when he duels splendidly with Amba.

So it remains to be seen what happens next. Her meteoric rise seems to be a bit slower for now, but that doesn’t have to be a negative. Perhaps a more restrained release policy and more time to develop her sound is in order. There is no question that she is a bright new talent and one can still expect a lot from her.

O Life, O Light Vol. 2 is available on vinyl, as a CD and a download.

You can listen to the album and buy it here:

O Life, O Light Vol. 2 by Zoh Amba featuring William Parker and Francisco Mela