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“Eunmi
Lee has already developed a unique musical voice and a highly
personal approach to music composition and improvisation. She is
certain to develop into one of the greatest musicians of her
generation.” – Tom Cunniffe, Jazz History Online
Pianist,
composer, and educator EUNMI LEE brings a distinct
compositional flair with her debut album, INTROSPECTION.
Lee hails from South Korea but has been living in New York City since
2020. The album was recorded in New York and features some of the
finest musicians the city has to offer, including TONY KADLECK (trumpet),
ALAN FERBER (trombone & producer), JON GORDON
(soprano & alto sax), REMY LE BOEUF (alto & baritone
sax), JOHN ELLIS (tenor sax, clarinet, bass clarinet), VINICIUS
GOMES (guitar), MATT CLOHESY (double bass), and ARI
HOENIG (drums). The album also features a string section
comprising JOYCE HAMMANN (violin), MEG OKURA (violin), LOIS
MARTIN (viola), MARIA JEFFERS (cello). and JODY REDHAGE
(cello).
Critic
Jonathan Widran says, “Introspection is a fascinating debut from an
artist whose sense of melodic and harmonic adventure knows no bounds.
It’s an exciting foundation for a career that promises to be a
fruitful, ever-evolving excursion into the future of contemporary
jazz… A true musical citizen of the world and fast emerging,
multi-faceted musical visionary.”
It
has been a circuitous journey from Korea to New York City for Lee.
She began playing piano at a young age and went on to earn an
associate degree in 2005 in Contemporary Music, Piano, at the Seoul
Institute of Arts. After graduating, she worked as a professional
musician in many different fields, like theater and commercial music,
and she taught piano at several institutions. But after a friend
introduced her to the GRP Records catalogue, she became intensely
interested in jazz and wanted to come to America to study.
She
came to California in 2007 to participate for two weeks at an open
house at the Musicians Institute. Although she hoped to stay, she had
to return to Korea because her family did not have the resources to
support her. That, however, did not diminish her desire to study
jazz. She auditioned for and received a Holland National Excellence
scholarship which enabled her to study at the Maastricht
Conservatorium in the Netherlands, where she received a Bachelor of
Music in Jazz Studies, Jazz Piano, in 2019. In 2020, she had the
means to continue her studies and moved to New York City to study at
NYU where she received a Master of Music degree in Jazz Piano in
2022.
Lee
arrived in New York shortly before Covid forced the city to shut
down. Although most classes took place online, she forged a
relationship with one of her teachers, Alan Ferber, a three-time
Grammy-nominated trombonist, composer, and arranger. A mainstay on
the New York jazz scene, Ferber was happy to produce her album and
brought on board most of the other players.
Influenced
by diverse musical traditions, from big band jazz, post-bop, chamber
music and even Brazilian music, Lee’s compositions are very
contemporary but shaded with her Korean culture, creating a unique
and engaging soundscape.
She
named the album INTROSPECTION because the compositions
reflect her inner observations, that is, the emotions and images that
pop up in her consciousness which she translates into music. Lee
opens the album with "Gimmick,” by which she means the face and
attitudes that people wear when they meet another person. The
straight-ahead compositions feature a sextet with solos by John Ellis
on tenor, and Lee on piano. Lee composed "Suspicion" as a
chamber piece. It has a very modern, angular, and dreamy sound that
points to Lee's musical versatility. She says, “I wanted to
compose a piece with ideas outside of functional harmony and outside
my comfort zone.”
Composed
when Lee lived in the Netherlands, "5.19" refers to the
date May 19, the day she wrote the piece. Lee explains, “I believe
experiencing different cultures is like the excitement you feel
reading thrilling books, trying new foods, and especially meeting and
interacting with new people.” The composition moves through different
styles, capturing the emotional changes she feels while immersing
herself in new cultures.
Before
Covid, Lee did not engage much with social media. However, like most
of us, she had more time on her hands than usual and started
exploring different social media sites. She saw that most people who
post about themselves seem inordinately happy. On
"Narcissism," she ponders whether one needs to possess a
certain degree of narcissism to adapt to the online world, since most
of the people she sees on the subway do not seem particularly happy.
"Mr.
Weird" is a straight-ahead big band tune she wrote after
spending months observing people in Washington Square Park, which is
close to where she lives. The park is often filled with offbeat and
entertaining characters. Lee says, “Sometimes, when I'm immersed in
my thoughts, I imagine what it would be like if I were someone else
observing me. Although the unconventional people I see seem different
than me, I wonder whether they could be looking at me and having the
same thoughts about me as I do about them.”
"Wavelength"
is a quartet number featuring Lee’s sensitive piano playing. Lee
explains, “I think that even though each person has a different
personality and ideology at least partially formed by their country
or race, everyone experiences empathy that is akin to a 'wavelength'
that emanates from the heart. Compassion and respect for one another
arise from this wavelength of the heart. Although I have faced
challenging times since coming to New York, it is the kindness of
people that have truly stood out to me amidst these difficult times.”
“If
someone asks me the color of my heart, I would answer, without
hesitation, azure, like the color of the sky,” says Lee. She wrote
"Azure," the final composition on the album, using only
white keys for the melody to reflect the hope and natural wonder she
feels when she looks up at the sky.
INTROSPECTION is a captivating debut for
emerging jazz artist Eunmi Lee. Backed by a stellar band in the
capable hands of producer Alan Ferber, Lee’s contemporary
sensibility, poignancy and originality ring true on every note.
# # #
INTROSPECTION
will be
released on July 14th on You&Me Music and will be
available on all platforms; physical CD available at Bandcamp (Eunmilee.bandcamp.com/album/introspection)
WATCH
EPK: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bh7dWj7uiI
Online:
Eunmileemusic.com
Facebook.com/eunmi.lee.music
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