JAZZ
BY ANDY COWAN
Alex Koo ★★★★
Blame It On My Chromosomes
W.E.R.F. CD/DL
Belgian-Japanese pianist spars with Ambrose Akinmusire and betrays classical roots on fifth LP.
Billed as an introspective journey into self-acceptance, Alex Koo’s fifth album reflects the classical music child prodigy’s deep immersion in jazz. He sets the tone early with Hey Man, We Should Play Sometime, the first of two serene Ambrose Akinmusire collaborations, the trumpeter’s lyrical delicacy contrasting cutely with Koo’s haunted motifs and supple grace. Elsewhere, his symbiosis with bassist Lennart Heyndels and drummer Dré Pallemaerts allows them to explore ragged sanity (Slowly), dance with abandon around a centrifugal bass line (Doritos Everywhere) and juxtapose ’60s Marvin Gaye with spaghetti western symphonics (Eagle Of The Sun) as subtle shades of Chopin, Debussy, Rachmaninoff and Reich pass through. Contemplative yet lively, peace-seeking but intense, contrasts abound as Koo embraces jazz’s freedom of expression without forsaking technique.