Sun-Mi Hong

Biography

Born and raised in In-Cheon, Korea; Sun-Mi has a unique perspective of life after her last ten years in Amsterdam. With a signature of rooted groove in combination with well tempered outbursts, Sun-Mi has placed herself strongly in the Dutch jazz scene. By approaching the moment in a somewhat meditative fashion, she achieves the ability to bring something entirely original to the band stand.

Her last album ‘A Self-Strewn Portrait’ (ZenneZ Records) has won the prize of the Edison Award 2021 in National category. She is the winner of the Dutch Jazz Competition 2018 and the 2nd Prize of the Getxo International Jazz Competition 2017 (Sun-Mi Hong Quintet), She just released a new album with her quintet on Edition Records on the 18th of November 2022.

Formally precise, but not at the expense of spontaneous wildness

Downbeat

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Sun-Mi Hong Quintet

The Sun-Mi Hong Quintet is an Emerging addition to the European scene of Improvised and Contemporary Jazz music. The Quintet walks the line between elaborate composition and the great void that is improvised music.

Albums

2017 ‘First Page’
2020 ‘Second Page: A Self-Strewn Portrait’ [Zennez Records]
2022 ‘Third Page: Resonance’ [Edition Records]

click to order vinyl ‘Third Page: Resonance’

“Sun-Mi Hong’s compositions have a wide span of tension and continue to fascinate because composition and free passages merge seamlessly. Subtle and probing rhythms alternate with driving percussion.” -Edison Awards 2021

IN:人

Sun-Mi Hong & Alistair Payne have a long track record playing together in a wide array of projects. Together, they form the driving force for the Sun-Mi Hong Quintet and Alistair Payne’s: This Thread Walks. Thanks to this, they are extremely sensitive to each others ideals in life, and in music.

Quarantine time sprouted some new roots for the duo; the drive to keep experimenting and expressing the moment; showing that art is not optional. The debut album “IN:人” being the fruits of their labour.

Trumpet & Drums is not the most common line-up, however it’s easy to forget you are listening to either of these instruments. Expect breath and footsteps, a woman wailing and a door squeak. Long textural passages that resemble the sandy scrapes of a carpenter’s work bench. The experience is dream like.

Album

2020 ‘Slow Walk’

“Trumpet and drums: substantial tools when betaking oneself into danger zones, greet the dragons and sounding the world. These duets, created with Occam’s razor seem to be both engraved and volatile, evident and ungraspable, daring and down to earth… And above all: they excel in playful clarity. Scotsman Payne and Korean woman Hong are part of a young and vibrant international scene shining in Amsterdam.”-
European Media Chart October 2021 – Henning Bolte

Fraanje/Soares/Hong

is formed by Dutch pianist Harmen Fraanje, Portuguese alto saxophonist José Soares and South-Korean drummer Sun Mi Hong, This trio was formed in the beginning of 2021. These three members stand amongst the most innovative contemporary musicians on the scene. This trio is born out of a simple quest: allowing the volatile sense of self-freedom within music to be united as one voice, by trusting each other and allowing for, out of silence, sound and narrative to be formed.

*“this trio emerged as a strong, inspired, focused match capable of rolling out original and gripping musical lines beyond the more travelled trio tracks.”* by Henning Bolte- All About Jazz (North Sea Round Town)

Dance In Four Colours

is a contemporary ensemble led by Sun-Mi Hong that combines drums, electronics, strings and dance. An improvised interplay by Sun-Mi Hong (North sea Round Town, Artist in Focus 2021) and keyboard player Philipp Rüttgers, forms the basis of ‘Dance In Four Colours’. This foundation of percussion and keys is supplemented with strings, synth and bass.