Jihee Heo, piano, comp.; Eli Asher, trumpet; Alex LoRe, alto sax; Jeremy Powell, tenor sax; Amadis Dunkel, trombone; Jacob Dreyer, bass; Alex Wyatt, drums

Passion is a thematic album. Every song is connected and driven by one story from start to finish. The themes of the album are presented through different configurations of a nonet, consisting of trumpet, trombone, tenor saxophone , alto saxophone, piano, bass, drums, and vocals. In creating this album, I wanted to meld classical ideas with jazz harmony and rhythm. I wanted to bring the concept of the oratorio or cantata into jazz, which is something that has not been widely explored in this genre.

“what make this debut so refreshing are its ambitious environs and cohesive approach. Passion, the kind that is intertwinded with frank spirituality, is evident throughout these 12 compositions and is what ties them together”–Elliot Simon (New York City Jazz Record)