Zoh Amba reinvents herself from free jazz to folk on 'Eyes full'

Zoh Amba, known as a free-jazz saxophonist, has released a folk singer-songwriter album titled 'Eyes full'. The album emerged unexpectedly after years of introspection and collaboration with guitarist Kevin Hyland. Central themes include God, religion, and Amba's youth in Kingsport, Tennessee, a conservative Southern town she once left but now engages with sympathetically. In the interview, Amba discusses her complex relationship with faith, describing God as an old friend, and criticizes Tennessee's Republican-led gerrymandering that disenfranchises Black voters. The album reflects a personal and artistic return to Southern roots, though Amba insists the material was always present in her heart.