Embrace

Sometimes in order to open up, we need to pare down. In order to make the most of the vast possibilities offered by the world outside, we first have to look deep inside and embrace ourselves. Five years after his critically-acclaimed album The Subliminal and the Sublime, vibraphonist and composer Chris Dingman returns with his much-anticipated follow-up, Embrace, released March 6, 2020.

Embrace features a transcendent vibes trio with bassist Linda May Han Oh and drummer Tim Keiper, inspired by a wide spectrum of jazz and West African traditions. Produced by Keith Witty (Somi, Thiefs) and recorded in studio to 16-track tape, the album’s warm, full sound pairs perfectly with the music’s strong sense of atmosphere and wonder, emotion and playfulness, all centered around Dingman’s expansive approach to the vibes. 

“full of interplay between spiky glistening surfaces
— like an El Anatsui work rendered as music.”
– Giovanni Russonello, The New York Times

“entrancing… deep, sonorous melody and harmony, and a beautiful ensemble feeling.”
– Nate Chinen, WBGO / The Checkout

“A beautiful and incredibly fully realized record” 
– Jason Crane, The Jazz Session 

“Delicately gorgeous… how deeply beautiful it all is. Highly recommended.”
– Rick Anderson, CD Hot List

“Vibraphone-led trios aren’t common, and this is an outstanding realisation of the format. Five Stars”
– Andy Hamilton, Jazz Journal

“The music of vibraphonist Chris Dingman has an ephemeral presence, even as the imagery it evokes is vivid … the kind of music to lose yourself in.” 
– Dave Sumner, The Best Jazz on Bandcamp: March 2020

“The trio setting not only makes his fluid dynamics central to the overall sound, it also showcases his considerable gift for melody“
– Bobby Reed, Downbeat (Editor’s Pick)

“It’s one of the most beautiful albums you’ll hear this or any year, filled with lovely melodies, splendid interactions, and hypnotic sounds.”
– Richard Kamins, Step Tempest

“This album conveys very absorbing music, thus offering an oasis of calm and sheer pleasure.“
– Marco Cangiano, New York City Jazz Record

“it’s just a trio but you’d believe you’re hearing more than three instrumental voices – so fresh and full is the playing…Dingman is a delight here, a masterful bandleader, composer and player. And his trio is both watertight and majestically fluid.”
– Simon Sweetman, Off the Tracks

“a rippling jazz rarity… it often seems like there’s a second set of vibes here” 
– Lucid Culture

“The sound isn’t sparse. Dingman’s deeply reverberant tone, Oh’s rock-solid foundation, and Keiper’s sympathetic accompaniment create rich sonic textures.”
– Martin Johnson, JazzTimes

Spotify

Apple Music

iTunes

Linda May Han Oh

Tim Keiper

Join Chris Dingman’s newsletter to receive exclusive updates and subscriber-only music

Chris Dingman Trio: Embrace was supported by New Music USA. To follow the project as it unfolds, visit the project page: https://www.newmusicusa.org/projects/chris-dingman-trio-embrace