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.”

PERSONNEL:

• Vijay Iyer - (piano)
• Linda May Han Oh - (double bass)
• Tyshawn Sorey - (drums)

TRACKS:

• 01. Compassion
• 02. Arch
• 03. Overjoyed
• 04. Maelstrom
• 05. Prelude: Orison
• 06. Tempest
• 07. Panegyric
• 08. Nonaah
• 09. Where I Am
• 10. Ghostrumental
• 11. It Goes
• 12. Free Spirits / Drummer's Song