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Spotlight OnPutting a needle on the cultural wax. Author: Lawrence Peryer
The people and ideas moving culture forward. With host Lawrence Peryer. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. Language: en Genres: Arts, Books, Music, Music Commentary Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it Trailer: |
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Linda May Han Oh: In Search of Strange Heavens
Episode 279
Sunday, 16 November, 2025
Today we're putting The Tonearm's needle on bassist and composer Linda May Han Oh.Linda's a Grammy winner who's recorded with Pat Metheny, Kenny Barron, and Joe Lovano. She was even the model for the bassist character in Pixar's 'Soul.' But it's her own work that brings us together.Her latest album, Strange Heaven, explores why we choose familiar hells over strange heavens—why we stick with what we know even when change might save us. It's a question that cuts through everything from personal relationships to political choices.Linda approaches her albums like journals, each one capturing where she is as an artist and a person. Since becoming a mother, she says her music has become more direct, more distilled—less about ego and more about emotional truth.She's here to discuss creative honesty, her work promoting women composers in jazz through the New Standards project, and why making music with emotional directness matters more than ever.(The musical excerpts heard in the interview are from Linda May Han Oh’s album Strange Heaven)–Dig DeeperVisit Linda May Han Oh at lindamayhanoh.com and follow her on Instagram, Facebook, and BandcampPurchase Linda May Han Oh's Strange Heavens from Biophilia Recordings, Bandcamp, or Qobuz and listen on your streaming platform of choiceLinda May Han Oh: Tiny Desk ConcertDig into this episode's complete show notes at podcast.thetonearm.com–• Did you enjoy this episode? Please share it with a friend! You can also rate The Tonearm ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and leave a review on Apple Podcasts.• Subscribe! Be the first to check out each new episode of The Tonearm in your podcast app of choice.• Looking for more? Visit podcast.thetonearm.com for bonus content, web-only interviews + features, and the Talk Of The Tonearm email newsletter. You can also follow us on Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, and LinkedIn.• Be sure to bookmark our online magazine, The Tonearm! → thetonearm.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
