Linda May Han Oh

Linda May Han Oh posing with an upbright bass

Based in New York City, Linda May Han Oh is a bassist and composer who has performed and recorded with artists such as Pat Metheny, Kenny Barron, Joe Lovano, Dave Douglas, Terri Lyne Carrington, Steve Wilson, Geri Allen, and Vijay Iyer. 

Born in Malaysia and raised in Perth, Western Australia, she has received many awards such as 2nd place at the BASS2010 Competition, a semi-finalist at the BMW Bass competition and an honorary mention at the 2009 Thelonious Monk Bass Competition.

Linda also received the 2010 Bell Award for Young Australian Artist of the Year and was the 2012 Downbeat Critic's Poll "Rising Star" on bass. She was voted the 2018 and 2019 Bassist of the Year by the Jazz Journalists Association, as well as 2019 Up-and-coming Artist of the Year. Linda recently received a Jerome Foundation Fellowship, as well as the Chamber Music America New Jazz Works Grant for 2019. She also was voted 2019 Bassist of the Year in Hothouse Magazine and 202 recipient of the Margaret Whitton Award.

She has had five releases as a leader which have received critical acclaim. Her most recent release “Aventurine” is a double quartet album, featuring string quartet and vocal group Invenio.

Linda has written for large and small ensembles as well as for film, participating in the BMI Film Composers Workshop, Sundance Labs at Skywalker Ranch and Sabrina McCormick's short film, "A Good Egg".

Linda is based in New York City and is currently on faculty at the New School - School of Jazz , as well as Berklee College of Music. As an active educator she has created a series of lessons for the BassGuru app for iPad and iPhone. Linda is currently bassist of Pat Metheny’s quartet.

 

 “Her innovative range and stellar improvisations have made [her] one of the most dynamic rising stars in jazz today.”
The Wall Street Journal

"A major bass voice arrives" JazzTimes

"On Walk Against Wind...[Oh] takes a long stride forward as a bandleader and composer. The writing is intricate but flowing, tailored to the articulate grace of her band." WBGO Take Five

"Linda May Han Oh is a planetary force and these compositions, so brilliantly crafted, are her gravitational waves." Nextbop

"One of the most fluid and instinctive bass players in New York City." SomethingElse Reviews