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Linda Oh Sun Pictures

The twenty-something Australian, born in Malaysia to Chinese parents, first made a splash in 2009 with a self-released debut album that showcased powerful playing, adventurous writing, and a little-known trumpet prodigy from the Bay Area named Ambrose Akinmusire. She generated even bigger waves in early 2012 with Initial Here, a monster quartet date on Dave Douglas's Greenleaf Music label. (Not by coincidence, she'd also landed high-profile gigs in Soundprints, the supergroup co-led by Douglas and Joe Lovano, and in the new incarnation of Douglas's own quintet.) Yeah, we know: another young, talented female bassist has been in the spotlight these past few years. But Oh's talents are every bit as great. We think it's her turn to shine.

"Casual listeners to jazz who might not tune into big differences between bass players would notice Linda Oh. Her music leans forward at you. She has a percussive touch, graceful and sometimes aggressive...She's justifying the role of bassist as bandleader."
Ben Ratliff, New York Times