Aldana & Oh Turn Wigmore Hall Into a Jazz Club
Melissa Aldana and Linda May Han Oh proved that a saxophone and bass duo can fill any room with world-class jazz. At London's Wigmore Hall, the two contemporary jazz heavyweights transformed a formal concert venue into an intimate, electric jazz club experience that left audiences stunned.
Two Jazz Voices, One Powerful Conversation
Rather than performing their own compositions, Aldana and Oh built their set around shared influences — standards and jazz classics that shaped their individual voices. This common ground sparked genuine spontaneity throughout the night. Oh brought boundless energy and melodic invention on bass, driving each tune with confidence and harmonic depth. Aldana countered with patience and tonal wisdom, reacting to her partner in real time and finding fresh shapes within familiar melodies.
Standout Moments and Bold Musical Choices
Small but effective key changes gave classic tunes new life. A shift to D major on Sammy Fain's 'I'll Be Seeing You' let Oh exploit open bass strings for added sustain, while alternating tonalities on Bud Powell's 'Hallucinations' sparked fiery exchanges between the two. Oh's solo bass rendering of Mingus' 'Duke Ellington's Sound of Love' was a masterclass in technique, and the duo's unison take on Charlie Parker's 'Anthropology' delivered a peak of raw, joyful jazz energy.
Special Guests Elevate the Jazz News of the Night
Vocalist Jo Lawry and alto saxophonist Will Vinson joined as special guests, reuniting with old New York friends for a memorable second half. Vinson and Aldana navigated Coltrane's dense '26-2' with spacious melodic grace. Lawry then stole the show on the closing Hank Mobley tune, vocalizing his original saxophone choruses with breathtaking precision. The night ended as a joyful celebration of jazz itself, with all four artists listening deeply and playing freely.
Key Takeaways
Aldana and Oh's Wigmore Hall concert was a masterclass in musical dialogue — two individualists finding fresh meaning in shared jazz history. Their album 'Beneath Lifted Skies' captures the same spirit. This is contemporary jazz at its most alive.
Author: Sebastian Scotney
Source: UK Jazz News
Published: September 27, 2026
